What do Santa's reindeer do 364 other days of the year? After a month or so at home to get their legs back under them it's vacation time for most, but not Rudolph, not this year. Ragin' Rudolph, as he's known on the rodeo circuit, has gotten into steroids in a big way, and he's not the sweet little reindeer who went down in history anymore! The annual "Reindeer Rodeo" pits the Big Guy and his buddies against the biggest and best and Rudolph wants Santa bad- what he does to him when he gets him on the ground may write a new page in history... "Reindeer Rodeo" is one of ten songs on the latest Bruce Brownfield album, all a little different and definitely not your usual blues songs. The addition of a few good friends to the mix, most notably guitarists Alan Greene and Roy Lipscomb on a few of the numbers, gives it a special significance as does the fact that these songs nearly didn't see the light of day- A series of strokes in 2008 left Bruce an invalid. Six years later he has regained his senses enough to mix and master this CD and the results are professional with a great sound and good songs. Bruce continues to improve as well, but must undergo a lengthy surgery to replace a section of his aorta, the main artery feeding the body, in late November and will be down for about three months. Proceeds from the sale of these songs will go toward his medical and household bills. "Better Times" is, for lack of a better term, a suicide note to oneself. The chiming guitars and simple yet effective bass line provide a vehicle for the introspective lyric. "Handyman" is an acoustic song, very much in the blues genre, about a man who goes from town to town doing odd jobs and serving the needs of the housewives as well. Like several of these songs it was on the previous CD "Ice Cold Fire" in an un-mastered version with a different mix done shortly before his strokes in 2008- the sound differences between the two CDs are stunning with this new CD sounding much, much better. "HardLuck" is for anyone who ever felt like there is "trouble every way you turn"-and the harmonica of "Crash" Kowall starts out quiet and spare, building throughout the song and ending in a battle with the lead guitar (which it wins). In "Kansas City Special Blues" we have the story of a man who comes home one day to find his lady gone back to mother, writing "it wasn't that bad but I was hoping for better". It's not long before she wants him back, but by then he'd healed his aching heart. The demo song was so good it had to be included in its unfinished acoustic form. There are two ways to travel down any road- "Lookin' At The Blues" says you can fry in the sun or freeze in the snow, your problem started when you are born with s soul. Backed by Alan Greene on guitar, John "Slap" Daubenspeck on bass and Rob Luoma on drums (collectively known as The Alan Greene Band) this song starts out gently, acoustic guitar only, but before long it's rocking out and Alan's guitar playing is both inspired and inspirational. "My Baby's Side Of Town" spotlights Brownfield's blues roots. This slide guitar/ bass/ drums song, recorded on a Tascam PortaStudio in minimal takes, is the oldest of the songs in this collection dating from the late 90's. It is very much an old-style blues tune, the slide guitar takes both rhythm and lead roles at once by finger-picking the guitar- a very interesting song done with minimal recording technology. "Open Road" is about those things that keep you lying awake and wondering- what if you had taken another road? Roy Lipscomb (guitar) and Tim Lane (drums) back Bruce through this one, while he plays acoustic guitar and bass as well as vocals. Roy's guitar sizzles through an old tube amp, the perfect tone for the tune, and Tim Lane lays down a beat that builds thru the song to the end. "Railyard Blues" is the favorite song of most people, a hard-rocking electric blues song with a little country flavor. Once again The Alan Greene Band provides the music while Bruce lays out vocals about a broken-hearted man leaving town on a freight train, saying " I don't care which way its going, east west north or south." Alan's guitar again takes the starring role, the whole band is tight and the song just keeps on rocking through the long fade at the end. In "The Key" Bruce shows his slide guitar abilities to the best effect-, as well as playing bass and programming drums. The song is about a young woman stuck in a loveless marriage to an older man, and the man she runs to who holds the key to her heart. We hope you enjoy these songs, as we have said all proceeds from this CD will go toward paying off medical and household bills so we would love it if you bought a song or two. Thanks, and keep supporting artists on CDBaby.