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Late Bloomer

Reveille Magazine
ROUND THE DIAL: LATE BLOOMER
by Tom Hallet

Local axe hero Randy Casey (he's been around for over a decade on the music scene and played guitar for dozens of line-ups, including Twin Cities Rock Gods Ol' Yeller, as well as sharing stages with Meat Loaf, Eddie Money, Robert Cray, Melissa Etheridge, Buddy Guy, John Mellencamp, Jimmie Vaughn, Wilco, 10,000 Maniacs, North Mississippi All-Stars, Paul Westerberg, Freddy Fender, and Lowen & Navaro, to name but a few) pulls a surprising about-face from his last, all-instrumental release ("Say No More") to this sweet, tummy-tumbling ride through the tunnel of love with Late Bloomer. Though he's pretty modest about the outcome of the album on his website ("Late Bloomer reflects the styles of my key influences. It's founded in roots Americana, blending folk, country, rock and blues."), he almost palpably shrugs.

"It's kind of a 'Town & Country' album," he writes on his web-page. "It's like Andy Griffith jamming with the Stones. The other great musicians that played on this album are: Noah Levy (drums), Adrian Suarez (drums), Andy Hertel (congas) Steve Price (bass), Peter J. Sands (keys), John Eller (keys), Janey Winterbauer (vox), David J. Russ (drums,vox, keys), Jenny Fraser (vox), Joe Savage (pedal steel, banjo), Zach Kline (violin), Dan Israel (vox), Karen Paurus (vox), and Andy Dee (lap steel, banjo, Hawaiian guitar, ratchet). The album was mixed at the Brewhaus studio in Minneapolis by Rob Genadek."

The truth is, this album goes a lot deeper than the cool people who played on it or Casey's own recent romantic satisfaction. The intricate, heart-felt country-blues pickin' and genuine musical cameraderie embedded in this album makes it one of those rare "white boy blues" albums that actually WORKS-from the music to the mixing to the mind-blowing, unforgettable lyrics.

The CD I'm now holding in my hand is a product of love, sweat, broken guitar strings, late-night band arguments, next day forgiveness sessions, and about a gallon whiskey jug fulla salt, sweat, and tears. It reflects the varied and eclectic styles of Randy's key influences, actually IS founded in authentic roots Americana, and blends folk, country, rock, and blues. As he said himself in his bio, it really is a sort of "Town N' Country" album- perfect for your drive out of the city on your way camping, fishing, or biking, and one that you'll want to hear again and again. Highly recommended-check Randy and his music out at www.myspace.com/randycaseyrocks. You won't be sorry!

Zeitgeist
RANDY CASEY — LATE BLOOMER
by Stuart Hamilton

Now here's someone who's taking the notion of roots rock almost to extremes, throwing Americana, folk, country and Blues into the mixer, before coming up with an absolutely delightful album.

Minneapolis-based Randy Casey is the man in question, and after a couple of instrumental releases, "Late Bloomer" sees him remember the singer part of singer / songwriter on thirteen self penned gems. And if you've bought a copy and are wondering how I came up with thirteen, well there are two tracks hidden away at the end, just to annoy you.

Casey has been around the block a few times and has worked with some of the biggest and best names in the business, including Shannon Curfman, members of Taj Mahal, Bonnie Raitt and John Fogerty's bands, and has got the chops to hold his head high with the best of them. He has a laconic style to his country Blues picking that puts you in mind of Ry Cooder and JJ Cale in places, but when he straps on his mandolin, National steel, lap steel, twelve string, you name it he's playing it guitar, then he's very much his own man.

He has a pleasant, easy on the ear voice and a splendid way with words, which makes the likes of 'The Denial Song', 'Thinking Hollywood' and 'Lovely Bride' a sheer delight.

How Was The Show
RANDY CASEY AT THE VARSITY
by David de Young

Locally-grown, nationally-acclaimed guitar hero and singer/songwriter Randy Casey's brand new album Late Bloomer was released Tuesday, February 12, and Casey celebrated with an early evening CD Release show at the Varsity Theater Saturday night, February 16th. The band featured a star-studded local lineup of musicians including Noah Levy, Steve Price, John Eller, Janey Winterbauer, Andra Suchy and Andy Dee.

Casey and company worked their way through many of the songs on album including “Lovely Bride,” “Thinking Hollywood” and “Sweet Janeen,” and one of my favorites of the evening not from the new disc, “I Like Birds.”

Casey has described the sound of his new album as something like “Andy Griffith jamming with the Stones.” Versatility, crackerjack playing, and top notch song-writing are all over this bluesy country-rock album. The band rounded out the evening with fun covers including some classic Zeppelin that more than filled the spacious Varsity with a great big sound.

Miss the show? Randy plays at at 11 a.m. Sunday morning, February 24th at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts as part of the Cities 97 Acoustic Sunrise series.

See David de Young's photo set from the Varsity show here.

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