Payne County Line Review
By Stan Moffat

“My goodness, where does one start with ole Emory’s Labor and Spirits? I heard an awesome song on www.garageband.com one day in the reviewing process that blew me away. It was borderline Ellis Paul, a bit of Matt Powell, and a twist of Woody Guthrie thrown in. Very lively, upbeat, and full of instrumentation… with all types of folks playing along.. not like a lot of CD’s now days, putting all that on to cover up poorly written songs, or a really weak vocalist.. Oh no, this was clean and one could hear every aspect of the cd, so if you want a lift and want to take a trip back to the day when.. just hook up with this cd in a big ole comfortable chair, turn the lights down low.. and perhaps just a sip of gin.. and let your mind carry you back…. To when things were what they were… easy going, lots of fun, and oh my goodness, very well done!

And it seems that the reviewers on http://www.garageband.com/artist/emoryjoseph feel the same way, too. His Daddy John is number 6 out of 4117!! And many of his songs from his cd are there being reviewed by others too and they just keep riding up to the top of the charts..

PCL has an http://www.paynecountyline.com/interviews/Interview%20of%20Emory%20Joseph.htm Interview with Emory Joseph… very informative and very well done. He is a really neat individual, and has really enlightened us in “feeling good”!

Now back to the cd…

Where to start.. Labor and Spirits is exactly what it says in small print.. it shows that Emory Joseph really does “dig what you do”! You can tell from the first note and intro on Carolina Princess to the solid beat of the great tune Rhum and Coffee that sticks in your head hours after you hear it, that this is a first class production. Great musicians produce great music and Emory has surrounded himself with some really great musicians on this cd. I believe there is almost every type of musical instrument on Labor and Spirits, yet the very well written lyrics come through from a super vocalist and remain clear and crisp throughout the cd. In Trinkets, one can close your eyes.. and remember Mom telling you all the things that Emory writes and sings about! Oh the Saints come marching in.. from close and play.. yes they do.. one’s mind is filled with things in one’s youth that as we grow up take on new meaning.. and more importance. And I could go on and on, but honestly, this is one cd you have to buy, set down, and just let ole’ Emory take you to another place and time, and put yourself in the pictures he paints with some very well written lyrics.. and then he paints the pictures with his vocals.. very vividly! And if that is not enough to take you into another space and place, just get hold cause if you listen to the very well arranged and produced cd, you will not be able to count on both hands the instruments you hear, that are not overdone, yet are so abundant! In short if we had a 10 star rating here, I would give this cd a 10 plus one, the one you get back as a bonus when you buy the cd! Be sure and send Emory a note when you get his cd and listen, to let him know how much it rocks.., we will have to get him to Oklahoma for a show somehow! Perhaps, or just maybe, Emory is the next Woody Guthrie???? Only the man upstairs knows for sure!!!”