Fat Man & Little Boy: the Atomic Duo,” is the latest project from Bad Livers founder Mark Rubin featuring the hot mandolin and plaintive vocals of young Silas Lowe. This release marks Rubin’s first foray into American folk music since the last Bad Livers CD almost a decade ago, and is the first recording he has made as a singer and guitarist.
Inspired by the great “Brother” vocal duets and string bands of the Depression era and formed on a dare, Rubin and Lowe have in a very short time risen to the vanguard of the emerging re-interest in acoustic roots Americana in their home of Austin Texas. Their debut CD was recorded live and without overdubs in the course of 3 hours on lovely spring afternoon, their new CD features instrumental rags and waltzes, breakdowns, blues and ballads marked by hot picking and tight vocal harmonies that harkens back to the rough and ready sounds of both urban and rural songsters.
It was a common interest, nay obsession with, pioneer Texas musical acts like the Dallas String Band, the East Texas Serenaders, western swing crooner Floyd Tillman and others that brought Rubin and Lowe together initially. Playing a guitar and mandolin, graciously provided by the National Resophonic Guitar Company, is when they are most comfortable; performing entirely acoustically, without microphones, much in the same way their musical forefathers found perfectly acceptable. A couple of tracks feature George Carver (who also produced) on harmonica. And unlike many acts today mining a similar vein, they strive to present their music devoid of hokey trappings of nostalgia, infusing the wise old parables of American Song with the intimacy and urgency of the modern era.
Relying on material whose content speaks to the ages, they include in their live sets numbers penned by contemporary songwriters, many of whom they known personally and have worked with such as Don Walser, Danny Barnes, Steve James and others.
Praise for the live show:
"Fat Man and Little Boy excelled at turning heartache into humor, with a vibe on par with White Ghost Shivers and the Gourds."- Michael Hoinski, Austin American Statesman
"Rubin’s musical choices have always been left-of-center, and are often as far out in left field as anyone in roots music goes, so it is somewhat surprising to find Rubin and musical cohort Silas Lowe dipping into rural string-band tunes like “Dallas Rag.” Fortunately, both guys can rip on whatever they decide to play – mandolin, fiddle, tuba, guitar, ukulele – and whatever their fingers don‘t slice and dice, their tongues do"-William Michael Smith, Houston Press.
Praise for the new CD:
"... a masterpiece..."-- John Aieli, KUT Radio
“(this recording) satisfyingly captures the energies and spontaneities of the music - there’s no false nostalgia here, just real music played in a real way, and played very, very well”--Ray Templeton, Mustrad.org
LA DATE:
The Grand Ole Echo
Sunday, July 11/ 7:30 pm/ Free/ All Ages
1822 Sunset Boulevard in Echo Park, CA 90026
(213) 413-8200
For More Information: http://www.reverbnation.com/fatmanlittleboytheatomicduo#/artist/artist_shows/335141
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