Eddy Lawrence

• Walker County [Snowplow, 1986] B+
• Whiskers and Scales and Other Tall Tales [Snowplow, 1989] B+

Consumer Guide Reviews:

Walker County [Snowplow, 1986]
A folkie who works in NYC, Lawrence cultivates a pastoral gift for vernacular narrative, as in the Alabama locale of his title and most of his material--lots of red dirt gone to asphalt, farmland gone to housing tract, homes gone to trailers. Sure he veers into sentiment, but only the instrumental is without its turn of phrase. B+

Whiskers and Scales and Other Tall Tales [Snowplow, 1989]
You know the routine--local folkie sets down with a couple of stringed instruments and lets fly. It works or it doesn't; usually it doesn't. But Lawrence is showing off so much eye, ear, and imagination that his stories barely require the appearance of music. Try the catfish farmer. Or the Marine's big-talking little brother. Or the bigamous lady trucker with the girlfriend in Wisconsin. Or Tommy's mommy's swami playing hide the salami. He's even moderately funny about fishing. B+