Puritan Rodeo

Wrangling three musical genres into one cohesive unit is never easy, but the boys of Puritan Rodeo take the proverbial bull by the horns and ride it just right. Like its name implies, Puritan Rodeo bridges the gap between the frenzied rodeo's wild side and its antithesis in the pragmatic puritan. Such juxtaposition provides a firm if unorthodox backbone to their debut, We All Share The Same Secret. The band brings in brash rockist acoustic and electric guitars, nestling them next to trad grass's mandolin, fiddle and jaw harp. Lyrics of regret come set to a toe-tap melding the facets of alt-country, traditional bluegrass and hardened rock.

Secret's seven tracks read like leaves of the diary of a jilted lover, with relationship mistakes, lost lovers and battles with the bottle playing out on every page. "Last Round" is a revelry in self-loathing for holding the proverbial "smoking gun" in a failed love affair: Witness "If I'd known I'd held a loaded gun, never would I do to you what I'd done" shouted over minor-key fiddle. Slow-burner "Tiajuana Teardrops" recalls love lost down south, while "Cigarette Song" and "Cold Comfort" make for jingle-worthy discourse. Closer "Bones & Cotton"--the best track here--offers an allegory for a life that lacks substance.

This diary--full of secrets splayed open--is a page turner that's hard to put down.

--Kathy Justice - Kathy Justice

"Puritan Rodeo Show creates a blend of rock, alternative country and bluegrass that will make any North Carolina native proud."
-MAB - www.raleighmusic.com

"The band bridges country and rock like the early Old 97`s. Lyrically the band is full of regret, and a little world weary with a hint of hope. The seven tracks of alt.country provide an impressive first impression of this band." -- Jeff Weiss, Miles of Music - Miles of Music

"The only band that I found on myspace this year that sent me an album I could just listen to the whole thing over and over again." - online

Borrowing heavily from country's string band tradition, Puritan Rodeo walks with a honky tonk swagger, a bluegrass rollick and a songwriter's sincerity.

There's enough rock 'n' roll on the album's seven tracks to convince the country-music-naysayers, but at the same time, Puritan Rodeo plays to the grand traditions of authenticity, simplicity and honesty. The songs are world-weary, but balance the rough-and-tumble life with an unwavering sense of hope and honesty.

With a lo-fi feel to its production, We All Share The Same Secret gives listeners an almost participatory experience. The recording seems to capture the band as it would sound live, prompting the listener to feel more actively engaged in what feels like a truly organic sonic experience. - The Daily Tar Heel

"When I read that Puritan Rodeo's influences include The Flying Burrito Brothers, John Prine , Johnny Cash and Led Zepplin, I knew that this band "gets it". This is a Southern roots rock band that has interesting instrumentation, including fiddle, mandolin and banjo. However, they are not stuck in a 60's time warp, like flies in amber. They have a very clean, modern sound."

-Col. Tamar Alexia Fleishman, Southern Fried Magazine - online

"This is an excellent debut album." - www.rootstime.be

"...if this CD is an indication of what Puritan Rodeo are capable of they'll be keeping toes tapping for years...It's a strong and well-produced effort." - Performer Magazine

"It's just plain good! Well-produced, great vocals and instrumental contributions. It's good and lively..." - John Roths

NORTH CAROLINA: ROOTS ARTIST RADIO AIRPLAY CHART
April: 2007 Chart
Ranking: Artist: CD Title: Label: Genre:
1 UNKNOWN HINSON TARGET PRACTICE COFFIN CASE Roots Rock
2 SHADY CREEK OUTLAWS WAYLON GRASS RURAL RHYTHEM Bluegrass
3 JASON MICHAEL CARROLL JASON MICHAEL CARROLL ARISTA NASHVILLE True Country
4 KELLIE PICKLER SMALL TOWN GIRL BNA RECORDS Pop Country
5 PETER ROWAN & TONY RICE QUARTET ROUNDER Bluegrass
6 SOUTHERN CULTURE ON THE SKIDS COUNTRYPOLITAN FAVORITES YEP ROC Roots/Americana Country
7 DOUG REEVES WHOE MULE !!! BEMG Bluegrass
8 JONATHAN BYRD THIS IS THE NEW THAT WATERBUG Pop Country
9 BOB MARGOLIN IN NORTH CAROLINA STEADY ROLLIN' Blues
10 VARIOUS ARTISTS WARREN HAYNES PRESENTS: THE BENEFIT CONCERT VOL 2 EVIL TEEN Roots Rock
11 LONESOME RIVER BAND THE ROAD WITH NO END MOUNTAIN HOME Bluegrass
12 DAVID CHILDERS & THE MODERN DON JUANS BURNING IN HELL LITTLE KING Roots/Americana Country
13 JIM COOK JIM COOK & FAMILY JC Roots Gospel
14 JIM COOK & FAMILY SELF SELF Roots Gospel
15 DONNA HUGHES GAINING WISDOM ROUNDER Bluegrass
16 THE AVETT BROTHERS EMOTIONALISM RAMSEUR Folk
17 SOUTHERN CULTURE ON THE SKIDS MOJO BOX YEP ROC Roots Rock
18 DALE ANN BRADLEY CATCH TOMORROW COMPASS Bluegrass
19 GRASS CATS HOME TO CAROLINA SELF Bluegrass
20 RYAN ADAMS AND THE CARDINALS COLD ROSES LOST HIGHWAY Roots Rock
21 PURITAN RODEO SHOW WE ALL SHARE THE SAME SECRET SELF Roots/Americana Country - www.rootsmusicreport.com