The album is anchored by both mid-tempo alt-country tunes such as "Lilly White," "Before You Were Born" and "Time Is Debt," as well as softer ballads like "The Wrong Side of Reno," "The Blue Rose," and "Whiskey Straight," the only song that hearkens back to Votolato's quieter days.  Full text...

On his new record, The Brag & Cuss, Votolato expands his sound, attempting a laid-back country-rock style that has a lot in common with Stephen Stills' warm, catchy early-'70s albums.  Full text...

It’s a rootsier, more country-influenced album than last year’s Makers, full of harmonica breaks and guitar licks as Southern as Colonel Sanders.   Full text...

Votolato's transformation into alt-country bandleader works reasonably well, but The Brag and Cuss frequently seems like the onetime solo artist turned to full-band country as much out of desperation as inspiration: Left with five low-key singer/songwriter albums on his hands, Votolato's sparse songwriting left him precious little room for growth. Making the leap to alt-country expands his canvas, if not his songwriting abilities. Maybe next time around.  Full text...