(El Toro) Oakland, California based Cari Lee & the Saddle-ites return with their sophomore release, The Road Less Traveled, the follow-up to their 2001 debut, Red Barn Baby. Where their debut disc was a hillbilly oriented album, The Road Less Traveled is a blend of old time swing, rockabilly and R&B. Cari Lee is the band's cowgirl attired lead singer, Cari Lee Merritt, and the Saddle-ites are made up of Cari Lee's husband Steve Merritt (lead guitar, mandolin), Rick Quisol (drums), Dickie Hanses (double bass) and Billy Wilson (steel guitar).

The Road Less Traveled is a combination of covers and originals culled from the band's variety of vast influences. They serve up some first rate, good old fashioned traditional swing with "My San Antonio Baby," ""Mama Told Me," "Hurry Up," "Come Home To Me," Do You Or Don't You?" and "I'm Having A Party All By Myself." They add a rockabilly influence to the delightful swing numbers "Standing In Your Window" and "I'm Gonna Love You."

The band provides a superb rendition of Bob & Lucille's driving rockabilly "Eeny Meeny Miney Mo" and they toss in a heavy Bakersfield sound to the chugging bassline on "Move On." The disc's most striking songs are where they take on the unexpected- a sultry, smoky rockabilly-R&B cover of Etta James' "Nobody Loves You (Like Me)" and a haunting, almost spooky rendition of Sister Wynona Carr's spiritual, "I'm A Pilgrim Traveler." The disc also includes footage from two recent Spanish TV performances that show off Cari Lee's confident stage presence and showcases her crack band, the Saddle-ites.

Cari Lee & the Saddle-ites have proven themselves a multi-talented and impressive band steeped in tradition, yet who aren't afraid to draw on and blend into their sound, more contemporary influences that keeps their material and delivery fresh. The Road Less Traveled is also a mighty impressive and satisfying release from start to finish.     

Standout Tracks:  "Nobody Loves You (Like Me)," "Mama Told Me," "I'm A Pilgrim Traveler," "Move On," "I'm Having A Party All By Myself," "Eeny Meeny Miney Mo" 

On The Net:   www.saddle-ites.com

AnnMarie Harrington TakeCountryBack January 2004