Search - Poor Man's Whiskey :: Darkside of the Moonshine

"There's no dark side of the moon, really. As a matter of fa

The Delite Rancher | Phoenix, Arizona | 07/10/2010

(3 out of 5 stars)

""Darkside of the Moonshine" features two discs. "Dark Side" is a bluegrass version of Pink Floyd's most popular album while "Moonshine" plays all original material by Poor Man's Whiskey. Sonically, "Moonshine," is patchouli soaked newgrass. There are moments that reminisce the Grateful Dead's "American Beauty" and others that bring to mind Crosby Stills, Nash and Young. For variety sake, the band mixes things up with steel guitar, electric guitar and a brass section. Like 'Rock Star on the Weekend,' there are humorous tunes and others that pertain to traveling and longing. As it turns out, whiskey drinkin' comes up more than once. Highlights include 'Easy Come' and 'Whiskey in Heaven' which feels like an Irish drinking song. Compared to bands like Yonder Mountain and Hot Buttered Rum, Poor Man's Whiskey is decidedly more focused on songs per se and less on improvisation. Another difference with the aforementioned bands is that Poor Man's Whiskey does not have the same vocal or song writing proficiency. The guys have their hearts in the right place but the band doesn't yet have the musical maturity of a group like Railroad Earth. In other words, you probably wouldn't be reading these words were it not for the other half of this release. Before that discussion, there's a conversation that should happen with the Floydian purists. For those who outright condemn the existence of a bluegrass version of "Dark Side of the Moon," let's keep in mind that a bluegrass tribute to the band already exists and the "Dark Side of the Moon" has specifically been done with reggae, electronica and a string quartet. With that out of the way, the 43 minute cover is good fun. Down home humor is distilled into much of the work. 'Speak to Me > Breathe' sets the tone. 'On the Run' features a banjo riff as porch dogs bark in the background. As a highlight, the verses in 'Time' are done in triple time. As a result, those passages have the power to inspire an impromptu barn dance -barn not included. Instead of David Gilmour's Stratocaster, the acoustic guitar and banjo trade licks. In 'The Great Gig in the Sky,' a fiddle plays Clare Torry's vocal solo. Poor Man's Whiskey cleverly rewrote the lyrics in 'Money' to fit the whiskey drinkin' hillbilly theme. The band approaches the vocal echoing in 'Us and Them' in a way that probably sounds great live but didn't translate so well to the studio. In any case, the penny whistle adds a beautiful touch to the song. A rockin' fiddle and steel guitar wail in the album's instrumental, 'Any Colour You Like.' The climax begins with 'Brain Damage' and 'Eclipse' is sped up to the speed of hoedown. In the end, listeners shouldn't expect any epiphanies listening to "Darkside of the Moonshine." The Pink Floyd original is a serious album while this cover is a light-hearted celebration with a decent production. Poor Man's Whiskey did the classic album with originality, charm and humor. With that in mind, I know what I'll be listening to the next time I crack open a bottle of Jack Daniels!"

An Oddball Gem That Gives Pink Floyd Classic a Big Yee Hahh!

Lance G. Rigley | Brisbane, Queensland Australia | 05/05/2010

(4 out of 5 stars)

"At my age I should know better! However, I am standing front of stage at the Cabacabaray Tent at the Byron Bay Blues & Roots Festival 2010 to see a festival act called Poor Man's Whiskey. They are reported to be a great live show, performing a rendition of Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, called "Dark Side of the Moon Shine". The lights dim and on come a group of nerdy looking Californians dressed as characters from the Wizard of Oz.I am thinking the urban myth about the playing of the Movie in time with the Album...I am thinking this could go anywhere but entertaining. To my surprise, they deliver, despite some technical hitches, one of the most unique and unexpectedly surprising performances I have ever seen. They have taken the entirity of the Pink Floyd classic album and interlaced it with bluegrass, country,folk,rock and blues influenced, guitar and banjo and fiddle infused with a heavy helping of the most extremely eccentric good time feeling this side of the University Dorm room they all climbed out of. Picture "Time" and "Breathe" being played by the cast of O Brother Where Art Thou?, with the stage front centre group member dressed as Dorothy with a beard.It should not work, it cannot work IT WORKED!!



I immediately purchased a copy from the merchandising tent and learned that soon after they sold out. I went back and saw them again the next night and they were even better. Wild enthusiastic crowd had gathered, not disappointed.



Could they reproduce that feel on CD. Yes they could! Play this little oddity loud and sing unashamedly along.I defy you not to dance around to "Eclipse" It is not right, it is not correct, it is irreverent and cheesy (listen to the sound effects on "Money") and it makes me think that this is possibly the best send up /rendition/cover of a concept album ever.. well certainly after a skin full of party punch and this side of Weird AL.



Unfortunately, the original tunes that make up the rest of this CD are average and predictable, and forgettable, but who cares. The forte of the PMW is their ability to reproduce the magic of the classic in another genre with gusto and humour that I will remember for a long long time.



Why buy? Odd different compelling and full of talent musically when you are saying to yourself this is really not right at all!!!Best cover of the Pink Floyd Classic CD I have heard in a long while...or was it that I was just in the mood for some entertainment and it came from a completely unexpected source. 4 stars out of 5 for audacity to the extreme."