Artist:     Ben Rice & RB Stone

Album:     Out of the Box

Label:     Middle Mountain Music

Release Date:     3.6.2020

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When you think of cigar box guitars, you think of a raw, raunchy sound but not necessarily of the relatively cleaner sounding Chuck Berry or Creedence. Ben Rice and RB Stone bring you all of that and more on Out of the Box. Warning: think twice about putting this in your car’s CD player, as the first track “Hot Rod Mama” will inevitably have you going pedal to metal. “Easy Rollin’ Down the Road,” as the title suggests, sets an easier groove. And that’s how the album unfolds— incendiary, barely-under-control fire (“The Swamp East Boogie” and “Lobo Jam”) mixed with slower tempo traditional blues and steady boogies.

Most of these pieces were written by either and/or Rice and Stone with Stone and Gulf Coast Records co-owner Guy Hale collaborating on the Creedence sounding “Hey Politician.” Stone and Rice are both singing and playing cigar box guitars of either 3, 4, or 6 strings. This may well be the first twin cigar box guitar record ever made. Sometimes you’d never guess as these guys play with both fire and finesse, screeching or fuzzy leads and careful well-picked ones too. The album was recorded and mixed by Jimi Bott (drummer for The Proven Ones and Fabulous Thunderbirds) in Portland, OR. Supporting cast includes Dave Mellyan on drums, Joseph Barton on bass, and Stone adding harmonica to “Hoodoo Workin’ Overtime” and “Meet Your Maker.”

The album does a great job of varying material and tempos; it’s not all stereotypical cigar box fare, making the double meaning of the album title especially appropriate. “Jesus Needs a Gig” has traces of J.J. Cale while “Meet Your Maker” and “Bad Blood on Mena Whiskey” echo some Hill Country riffs. “Hoodoo Workin’ Overtime” could be right out The Stray Cats catalog. “Crushin’ on the Bartender” has a Delbert element. “Train of Time” is on the more traditional side while the boogies, the opener and “Meet Your Maker” are more in line with the vintage slashing cigar box stuff you’d expect.

There’s no way you’ll be able to sit still. This one can shake the windows and rattle the walls.

—Jim Hynes