D.B Reilly’s Zydeco-Americana kicks off his album, Love Potions and Snake Oil, and cooks along for “One of These Days (You’re Gonna Realize)”. It’s not straight Zydeco, in that, it’s more Texan than Cajun. Country, Americana, and folk singer-songwriter appear to Reilly’s route to Zydeco.
What that means is that when Reilly’s not kicking up the Zydeco beat he’s in a much more pulled back, Country folk feel. “Don’t Give Up on Me” has a Tejano hint of lime while sounding like something from the BoDeans’ early work. “One Day at a Time” lands somewhere near Loudon Wainwright III.
The Zydeco returns for the morbid toe-tapper of an abduction story “I Got a Girlfriend.” In a Blues-Zydeco mash up, “We’re All Going Straight to Hell” is a rousing rocker.
Love Potions features some different looks besides Zydeco and Country, too, looks that work for Reilly. “Loving You Again” is like a country T.Rex “Bang a Gong.” Later there’s the country blues of “Changed My Mind;” that feel continues right into the foot-stomping “Got a Mind.”
If there’s anything to be said that detracts from this album, it’s by placing the rather received Country ballad “Save All Your Kisses” as the third track. It’s not the strongest track by far, and perhaps should have been later in the lineup so as not to derail the listener.
That said, Reilly’s album really makes a great overall impression in its explorations of Americana. He has also delivered a very cool package—a tin case to go along with the Love Potions and Snake Oil theme.
