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excerpt from: NUVO NEWSWEEKLY, Sept. 9-16, 1999
The Punkin Holler Boys
Kettle 'O Fish
By Patrick O'Connor
With tongues firmly planted in cheeks, The Punkin Holler Boys succeed in evoking the "down home" feel of drinking lemonade
on a hot summer's day. Their bluegrass-influenced style is at once friendly and familiar, while retaining an appropriately
rough-around-the-edges feel.
The opening instrumental, "Untitled," leads into "Acquaintances," one of the disc's most memorable tracks. Led by the amusing
lyrics of Ralph Edward, "Acquaintances" is fleshed out by the meandering accordion of Spidey Jack and the vibrant fiddle of
Slim (note: all of the members' names end in "Hadley"). The amusing "Pendleton Pike Blues" features Spidey Jack on vocals,
while the disc's title track is a group vocal affair -- not to mention one of the catchiest songs I've heard in a long time.
The biting lyrical wit of "Treehouse" ("My dad's building me a treehouse/ And you can't come over ...") appropriately recalls
those not-so-innocent childhood days. "Take Me Back To The Doctor," "Better Beer" and the wonderful album closer, "Someone
You're Forgetting," are each a slice of well-arranged melodic genius.
This is by no means a perfect album. The absence of a percussionist occasionally makes The Punkin Holler Boys sound like
an acoustic train wreck waiting to happen. But the songs are so well-written, and the project so well-executed that it's hard
to stop listening.
With summertime nearly over for the year, Kettle 'O Fish may be just what the doctor ordered. (Punkin Holler Records, P.O.
Box 221, Camby, IN 46113)
See The Punkin Holler Boys on the third Friday of each month at
Chubby's Club LaSalle.
excerpt from: NUVO NEWSWEEKLY, Oct. 25 - Nov. 1, 2001
Punkin Holler Boys
Three Headed Cow
Punkin Holler Records
Steve Hammer
If Sun Records epitomized the rockabilly sensibility of the 1950s, the Punkin Holler Boys take it to the 21st century.
Often dismissed as a novelty act, the Punkin Holler Boys are actually quite an accomplished group of musicians and songwriters.
In fact, practically every cut on Three Headed Cow rocks and sways with various Americana influences. The predominant sound
is mandolin-based with harmony vocals that are, shall we say, a bit raw. It all adds to the charm. "The Elephant Song" tells
a tale of a circus animal's escape and capture. "Slack-Jawed Youth of America" decries the "six-second attention span" of
today's youth.
They're skilled storytellers, able to evoke moods and emotions with a limited musical palette. But every note and every
song is as well-done as it needs to be. The singing Is soulful and evocative of the country music greats of the past. As good
as this record is, this is a band that needs to be seen live to be fully appreciated. While its members take their music seriously,
they don't take themselves too seriously at all. They create what they set out to create: good, old-fashioned music with a
contemporary twist.
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excerpt from: rambles.net, Dec. 14, 2001
Incan Flutes, Punkin Holler Boys
Punkin Holler Records
Don't let the low-budget look fool you; the music puts the lie to the grainy, photocopied CD inserts and hand-scribbled
information on the disc. Granted, the opening title track might make you wonder: the "Incan Flutes" sure sound a lot like
beer bottles to me. But after the boys have their fun, they get down to some serious singing, picking and fiddling. Not too
serious, mind you. The Punkin Holler Boys seem to be having a grand time, and even when the subject isn't all that upbeat,
the music usually is. At times, the songs seem a bit tongue in cheek, as if acknowledging their bluegrass roots but having
a little fun at the expense of those roots at the same time. The Punkin Holler Boys are Ralph Ed Hadley (Ralph Jeffers) on
vocals, guitar and mandolin, Spidey Jack Hadley (John Sheets) on vocals, guitar and accordion, and Slim Hadley Jr. (Slim)
on vocals, fiddle, guitar, dobrolin and mandolin. The liner notes give no information on who sings what or anything beyond
the titles of the tracks, so just relax and listen. Some of the songs sound archetypal, such as "Lately I've Been Thinking,"
a "tired-of-bumming-around-on-the-road" song in which the narrator dreams up an alternate reality comprising every cliché
of domestic bliss -- and then some. "Lay Me Down" is a raucous "prove you really love me with lots of sex" song, with one
of the boys suggesting that the demonstration of said proof take place "offstage." "Land That I Come From" is a "family farmer
against the Big Corporation" song. It has a driving, appealing rhythm even while the story it tells is interchangeable with
a number of songs on the same topic. "The Reflective Song" is a wicked, outright jab at the navel-gazing self-absorption found
in the works of some singer-songwriters, complete with the sound of fingers sliding on guitar strings, deliberately banal
lyrics and plaintive whiny vocals. It's perfect. Some of the songs are just plain strange. "Too Much Prozac" assures that
you'll get through the "commemorative days" and "You'll remember the Franklin Mint." (Goody.) I'm convinced that "Sissykins
Missykins" is a sweet and silly tribute sung to a cat, and "Deep Blue Sea," featuring a cappella bluegrass gospel harmonies
in the beginning, tells the cautionary tale of a boy who has to learn to turn blue before he can join the circus. My favorite
tracks are "Punkin Holler Breakdown," a rousing instrumental where fiddle and accordion hand off to each other, and "Sharp
As a Tack." This song tells the story of a lucky prospector with an extra shot of optimism. Even when he's six feet under
he knows that "I've been down before and I bounce right back." Talk about a positive attitude! I have a hunch that this talented
trio would be wonderful live, but since they only perform in Indiana at the moment, that's not going to be an option for most
people. But you can pick up a copy of Incan Flutes for yourself and enjoy the sound of the Punkin Holler Boys. [ by Donna Scanlon <http://www.rambles.net/donna_scanlon.html>] Rambles:
14 December 2001
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