High Bias
Listening with extreme prejudice

STACE ENGLAND
Greetings From Cairo, Illinois
(Gnashville Sounds)
Stace England's Greetings from Cairo, Illinois is a historical tribute to his home state. The actual town of Cairo sits between the banks of the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, two pillars for establishing the west. England spent five years in Cairo hanging out and researching the town's history, and this disc narrates the town through 150 years of lynchings and social development. The songs sound like drunken singalongs, and maybe they were. There is some cool bass playing on the album, but the main takeaway is the barroom feel and wry observations of history. England bounces a biting sense of humor off of songs like "Equal Opportunity Lynch Mob" and "Jesse's Comin' to Town." This is an entertaining record, as much for its History Channel vibe as the music itself. Lance Looper [buy it]