Music Reviews
Dec-Jan 2004
Music of the West
Sing and Swing
By Hugh McLennan
THE EAGLE & THE SNAKE
Brian Burns
 Brian Burns has a rich voice and a masterful way with a song. In this collection of western history he includes some notable songs of the west and several original compositions to chronicle a period of American history that has inspired legends, novels, songs and motion pictures.
The album opens with "Man Walks Among Us" - a beautiful but seldom-heard song written by Marty Robbins about the impact of humanity on the unspoiled grandeur of the west.
A song well known to knowledgeable western music purists, "El Llano Estacado," was arranged and recorded by Tom Russell a number of years ago. Russell joins Brian to bring this powerful song to life. Brian veers into pop culture for an inspiring rendition of "The Ballad Of The Alamo," as part of a sequence that portrays more south Texas history.
Hoyt Axton had a good size country hit with "Evangelina" a few years back and Burns fits the song into its historical perspective here. Other notable tracks include Tom Russell's "Gallo Del Cielo" recorded earlier by Ian Tyson.
As the historical journey continues, the Texas version of "I've Been Everywhere", "A Cowboy's Prayer," another Burns original, concludes with the line: "Hang my trophies in the Hall of Fame, tell all the ladies to remember my name; I don't want to be a cowboy anymore." The album concludes with a wistful look at the future called "The Last Living Cowboy."
From Palo Duro Records, (866) PALO-DURO, www.palodurorecords.com/media.
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