Baby Eagle

On this punk-infused folk rock wonder, Steve Lambke assembles a backing band that perfectly complement his heady lyrics and distinctive, like-it-or-lump-it voice. Dog Weather isn't his first record to feature rock instrumentation, but Lambke has come to imbue Baby Eagle with the manner of a solitary troubadour; he often sings of rural life in his trusty croak, accompanied by a bare-bones acoustic. But the simplicity's a ruse; Lambke's a sophisticated writer and Dog Weather's lyric sheet is a richly crafted set of interconnected narratives romanticizing seemingly quaint artefacts like public radio, sorry dogs, weather scares and chivalry. Joined by Shotgun Jimmie (a crazy, great drummer), Daniel Romano and Construction and Destruction, Lambke utilizes their tasteful might in commanding the right voice and tone for each song. Like Dylan's first sides with a rock band, Baby Eagle sounds pleasantly shocked by the new electricity coursing through his vivid poetry on the infectious, supercharged Dog Weather.