Some of
Dick Curless' most appealing songs are tall tales set to music, like
Ramblin' Country's "Tornado Tillie" and the minor hit "Big Foot." The latter, about a Paul Bunyan-like character who saves his town from a flood, matches
Curless' flair for storytelling with wryly humorous and inventive material, and makes one wonder why he never saw greater success.
Curless also deals in conventional country music, like the mournful "Life Goes On," and, in fact, most of
Ramblin' Country falls into that category. But the story songs are the ones that really stand out, and
Curless deserves praise for preserving the narrative tradition in country music and making prominent use of his acoustic guitar (check out
Ramblin' Country's guitar instrumental, "Mumble Boogie," for evidence of his ability). ~ Greg Adams