The Cultivators

Mama's Kitchen

(Hayden Ferry)

-Joe Ramos

The Cultivators, a Minneapolis based country/pop/rock band led by 27 year old singer/songwriter Dan Israel return with their follow up to 1997's Before We Met, which only sold several hundred copies in the vicinity of their hometown only. After hearing Mama's Kitchen, I can see why these fellows didn't (nor will they) crack the thousand mark.

This is one of the most mediocre country-rock albums ever produced, although you might not realize it. At first, that is. It's not that it's outright terrible, it's that it becomes slowly more annoying with each listen to the point where it will get on your nerves and you will hate it. I promise you. While the album does have some redeeming songs like the upbeat "Word on the Street" and the folky "Happy Again," a guest appearance by the Beatles couldn't even save this one. Speaking of guest appearances, the album boasts "guest stars aplenty," which include members of obscure bands such as the Gear Daddies, the Peter Himmelman Band and the Original Harmony Ridge Creekdippers. Stars? More like black holes.

RATING:4