I have known Mookie Brando (alias Zsigo Feri) for a number of years, ever since I saw him play a solo gig at the Fregatt Pub. Back in the early 1990's the Fregatt was the only place you could get Guinness on tap in Budapest. Later, many of the top musicians in Budapest cut their teeth there, like The Tea Thieves, Shameless, Captain Pedantic and the Scurvy Dogs...and of course Mookie Brando. Classified as alt.country (the first time I had ever heard the term), if you type in Mookie Brando on Last.FM, you get a fantastic playlist of similar bands. Mookie released a self-titled album in 2007 called Eponymous, and his new solo effort, Love, Truth and Other Myths will be available from Oct 3 at www.mookiebrando.net and http://soundcloud.com/mookiebrando. The album title immediately gets you thinking. The respect shown to Budapest's grandfather of alt.country is demonstrated by a who's who of musicians that have contributed to this undertaking (see below). Influences for this album include: Bob Dylan, The Rolling Stones, Lucinda Williams, Blue Rodeo, Tom Petty, Wilco, The Who and Booker T and the MGs.

The lead in on the first track "This Temptation" makes you want to jump out of your seat and start dancing or catch a wave, the rest makes you realise you are up there for the duration on the dance floor rocking back and forth in the smoky gloom in front of the stage, singing along with beer in hand. It sets an appropriate tone for the rest of the album. "Angel Tonight" is a true country ballad without the kich. I especially like the word play, "two-step into." On "Best I Can," the influence of the Rolling Stones and later Bob Dylan are clearly evident. While track 7 "Been in Arrears" is an anthem that deftly describes a place many of us are at these days, "Shine a Light" incorporates a really nice long instrumental section and big-ass chorus featuring the Joeville Singers. The stand-out track " Shakin' in the Middle of the Night" features Mookie's very talented cousin Peti on sax, and is that Greg laughing just at the end? The title track, "Love, Truth and Other Myths" is destined to be a hit single, as Mookie relaxes into it and it comes out pure and passionate. I especially love Beaux Jaxon's resonator guitar solo on this.

Catch Mookie Brando and the Second Cousins opening for Emily Weedon on November 10th at Treehugger Dan's.

Liner Notes:

1. This Temptation
2. All Boxed In
3. Angel Tonight
4. Make That Bet
5. Had Enough
6. Best I Can
7. Been in Arrears
8. Come To Me
9. Shine a Light
10. Want It Back
11. Shakin' in the Middle of the Night
12. Love, Truth and Other Myths

Richard Adkin (Random Chocolates): guitar solo (7)
Mookie Brando: lead vocals, electric and acoustic guitar, bass (8), fuzz bass (11), tambourine (8), synthesizer (2), piano (1, 5, 7), banjo (3, 4), organ (2, 5, 12)
Mátyás Csajági (Overdrive, Mookie Brando and the Second Cousins): solo guitar (1)
Péter Herold (Mookie Brando and the Second Cousins, Garami Funky Staff: saxophone (8, 11)
Beaux Jaxon (Poosta Ramblers): solo guitar (6, 9), right channel lead guitar (12), resonator guitar (12)
Lóránt Kégl (Zöldhullám): accordion (2, 7)
Michael Kentish (Random Chocolates, Poniklo, Poosta Ramblers, Shameless, Mookie Brando and the Second Cousins): bass (all tracks except 8), vocals (1, 3, 11, 12)
Jerome Li Thiao Te (Poosta Ramblers, Hybris, Last Drops, Mookie Brando and the Second Cousins...): violin solo (9), vocals (11)
Bence Nagy (Mookie Brando and the Second Cousins): drums (all tracks)
Marco Randria (Marco & Kati, Mookie Brando and the Second Cousins) : solo guitar and harmonics (4)
Zach Rozenbaum: piano (9, 12)
Fiona Stewart (Poosta Ramblers, Rock Central Plaza): violins (7, 9, 10), vocals (12)
Áron Tanos (Overdrive): solo guitar (10)
Andor Vörös (Bojtorján): pedal steel guitar (3)
Greg Zeigler (Poosta Ramblers, Last Drops, Mookie Brando and the Second Cousins) : vocals (4, 11), percussion (12)
The Joeville Singers (Katica Avvakumovits, Gábor Bihari, Enikő Bóna, András Fábián, Maggie Lutring, Csaba Mester, Barbara Sommer, Greg Zeigler): vocals (9)