| Hard To Be Real | by Celtic Elvis |
| song list | |
|
1. America 2. I'm in Heaven 3. Hard To Be Real 4. Little Head 5. She Likes Girls 6. Sadie |
7. Help Me, Help Me 8. Male Pattern Numbness 9. Celia 10. Acid Rain 11. C'est La Vie |
What Celtic Elvis does is "some of the best satirical songs you're likely to hear." ( Dirty Linen )
"Harsher than Dave Letterman on PMS, more fickle than Judge Judy with a hangover, Celtic Elvis is one socially-conscious band you just don’t want to piss off." That's just some of what indie-music.com reviewer Erik Deckers had to say about them. See the full review at: indie-music.com
Mish Mash , the online review 'zine, started their review with these words: "Ah, those Baby Boomers--just when you thought that Gen X had cornered the market on cynicism, Celtic Elvis comes along and shows us whippersnappers how it's supposed to be done." The full review is at: Mish Mash (scroll down the page).
Hard To Be Real is packed with demented, insightful, no-holds-barred commentary, folk-with-a-beat musical arrangements, and, of course, the band's trademark four-part power harmonies. Recorded live at Strings, the East Bay underground acoustic music showcase, Hard To Be Real is a unique recording which captures the excitement of a live Celtic Elvis performance while maintaining all the clarity and depth of a studio production. Musical instrumentation includes two acoustic guitars, bass, violin, accordion, and a pizza box (medium pepperoni).
For the CD's opening track, the rocking America, the jaundice eye of Celtic Elvis turns on the founding assumption of American society. Its true, you know, America "is only as good as your next door neighbor."
The lilting I'm in Heaven is an ode to self loving.
The title cut, Hard To Be Real, is a critical look at the mechanics of beauty. "Jessica's body is like chiffon, she smoothes it one fold at a time..."
Little Head explores the driving force that built the Trojan Horse, got Bathsheba's husband killed, and made Cyrano write all that bad poetry. It also explains Bill Clinton.
She Likes Girls, a mid-tempo ballad, finds bassest and biker Rich Wescott meeting his perfect mate. He's just one small operation away from being perfect for her.
Sadie is a romp, a simple love song dedicated to a woman who didn't care.
The acappella Help Me, Help Me is about a couple becoming clones of one another.
Male Pattern Numbness- "They say that men are slime, slippery as their desires..."
Celia is a dance tune which features Rich on accordion and Barb subbing on bass.
Acid Rain tells of three true stories involving people trading their health for status: a genuine folk song.
C'est La Vie is a lovely ballad from the lovely Barb.
