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No More than a Window is an unplugged album by the trio from Texas that call themselves Poor Rich Folk.  It  seems that Texas is loaded with groups in a similar vein ­ modern acoustic folk-rock all performed on organic instruments.  Probably the most famous to date would be Caedmon’s Call and Shane and Shane.  It makes one wonder if learning this style of acoustic rock is part of  the curriculum at the local colleges.  Several churches in the Houston, TX area sport worship bands that have a similar feel.

Poor Rich Folk carry on the tradition in fine form.  No More Than a Window is a great example of what kind of music can be made with a couple of acoustic guitars, a bass, a random mandolin, some hand percussion and drums and bang ­ very pleasant results can be had with this simple combination.  Lead singer and guitarist, Luke Brawner, has a reedy tenor that sounds very similar to Dan Haseltine from JoC, and when joined by Randy Fuller on guitars/mandolins/vocals, and Andy Brannon on drums and percussion, the sound is hauntingly like the bulk of the songs on  JoC’s first two albums.  This is a good thing.  Some have argued that JoC strayed too far from this signature sound once they were done with ‘Much Afraid.’

The album is very well recorded and produced ­ unencumbered by stutter edits, percussion loops (well there is one track that features a gentle shaker loop), ‘Cher’ pitch corrected vocals, and other requisite production features in today’s pop-music.  The only criticism of the album would be the similar melody lines in the first seven tracks of the CD.  Tracks eight-eleven provide more of a mix of melodies and styles.  Sprinkling these tracks throughout the rest of the CD would have broken up some of the monotony of the similar melodies in the first seven tracks.

And like JoC’s first album, a patient listen through the end of the last track rewards listeners with a bonus track ­ one of the best on the CD.

So for you JoC, Caedmon’s Call, Shane and Shane fans ­ get your most recent fix by picking up a copy of No More Than a Window from Poor Rich Folk. 
 

Scott Lake
November 13, 2005