From the opening chords of the first song on Kathryn Caine’s latest album, Kathryn Caine And The Small Band, there’s a definite throwback feeling. Â That song, Beacon, has a rock feeling that’s rooted in the style of soaring vocals set to guitar ala the Wilson sisters in Heart or LInda Ronstadt when she was topping the charts. Â From there, the record veers to the country sound of the time with a Dolly Parton-inspired Can I Get An Amen. Â At that point, I just decided I was along for the ride, prepared for anything, expecting everything.
To be fair, things aren’t really all over the map. Â Most of Caine’s previous work is well rooted in Americana and those influences are still present. Â Most of the songs have a twangy presence. Â Puppet has a hard edge as Caine sings, “I may be your puppet, but you’ve pulled your last string.” Â Gravity has more a pop sound to the country, while Stay Away speeds up the tempo to a high energy bluegrass style. Â Silver Dagger, a traditional ballad, may be my favorite tune on the album with a lot of great picking from The Small Band.
The rock style I mentioned at the beginning is well represented with The Rope, and This Time. Â A little harder to pigeonhole are The Whiskey Song and The Beatle Song, that does have some essence of Lennon & McCartney.
 It’s really hard not to like Kathryn Caine And The Small Band.  Caine’s soaring range and powerful delivery really grab your attention and The Small Band totally represents the idea of solid.  Together they define the music they play rather than the other way around.  And just in time for Throwback Thursday they decided to visit the 70’s.
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.