I always get a kick out of taking a chance and being totally surprised by what I get. My wife of course has a conniption when I spend money like that. She doesn't get my reasoning: "But honey, this guy was in this band that I like, and he's a great player, and chances are his stuff will be good." Then like any good husband I buy stuff when she's not looking.

So it was that I ordered (and eventually received after a minor fubar with delivery) three CDs by Kevin Breit. I wasn't sure what to expect, and after listening to these albums for about a week straight I've come to the conclusion that the man has too much talent for his own good. I've been called a pretty good player by a lot of people (my mom, my dad, and some guy who was drunk at a party I played at a while ago) and this guy makes me want to put my guitars away.

It's not just guitars either - anything with strings is fair game. His music isn't pop, or rock, or folk, it's just music. Really good music. It's all instrumental - stuff, and his playing sings for him.

Maybelle (©1998 Poverty Playlist)

(recorded April 3 - 5 1998): Odd Man Out / Lily / Ivan The Clown / Dull Blade / Maybelle / Lost Dog / Broken Tarantella / Poor Lost Soul / 40 Days, 39 Nights / All I Know

Since I got these discs at the same time I like to think of them as a story with three chapters. Maybelle is primarily a showcase of mandolin, mandola, and mandocello (like from the Cheap Trick song of the same name). It also features a tuba, which alone is worth the CD. The song Dull Blade kills me. It reminds me of the Munster's theme. Heck maybe Tim Burton will use it in a movie.

Empty (©1998 Poverty Playlist)

(recorded May 8 & 9 1998): Empty / Little Volcana / Somebody's Child / Uncle John's 3rd Wife / The Reverend's Hammer & Nails / Circus Runaway / Burnt Bulb On Broadway / Donald Michael / Foster Hewitt / Sad Louise

Empty features a lot of slide playing (on a national steel guitar), and in the band is Jorn Anderson. A good drummer who has played with a number of my favourite musicians.

Folk Alarm (©2000 Poverty Playlist)

(recorded August 13 - 16 1999): Corndust / Sunny Side Up / The Ventriloquist Sings / Joyce Ruth / Jubilant Nunavut / Goodbye Bad Spy / Everywhere But Here / Furthermore / So Many Marys / Folk Alarm

Folk Alarm is my marginal favourite of the three. Again a lot of slide (electric this time around) and banjo and other stringed things. Jorn is here tapping away.

You should check out his site, Poverty Playlist for more info on getting your hands on some of his music. Heck if your ordering from the States you can't get a better deal, ditto for you Canadians.

Reviewed January 26, 2001