Main Page | Reviews
Phone/Fax: (803) 588-0202,
e-mail: John Cusatis
John Cusatis is one of the hardest-working musicians in the Charleston area - and, ironically, he helps to offset some of his load by putting instruments in the hands of audience members and encouraging participation in his sets. Cusatis helped to build his reputation for "barroom rock & roll" by playing songs that people recognized and could play along with. Gradually, he added his own material, and last year, Cusatis released April Days, his first full-length CD of original material. Not one to rest on this achievement, this EP represents four tracks Cusatis recorded during a recent trip to Pennsylvania. The first, "Contemplative Man,'" is an acoustic version of the cut that appeared on April Days. The remaining three songs are new, and continue to showcase Cusatis' strong command of the English language. His lyrics are sometimes very pointed, occasionally goofy but always literate and in time with the music. Unlike April Days, which featured many great Charleston musicians, the musicians who appear on this disc were recruited on site in Pennsylvania. As a result, these recordings have a somewhat edgier sound that is somewhat becoming. The grit of "Come Out of the Rain" and "What are You Wearing to Armageddon?" show that despite Cusatis' claim to be "not that concerned," there's a fire burning inside the man. It will be interesting to see if Cusatis follows this new direction on his next full-length release, which will hopefully be in the near future. (Brian Lindgren)