If you're looking for something new and unusual to add to your musical
diet, there's no better start than a healthy dose of "Leftover Salmon." The
group's founders describe their music as "polyethnic cajun slamgrass,"
and with their latest Hollywood Records release, "Euphoria," they throw a
wide variety of musical styles into a blender and come out with an album
that is quite fun to listen to.

The album starts off fast and furious with a ska song, "Better," and doesn't
let up. "Better" sets the tone for the whole album, drawing in listeners while
letting them know they're in for something different.

The second song on the album, and one of the songs that really makes this
album worth buying, is a good old-fashioned bluegrass number called "Highway Song." This song provides a glimpse at both their strong musicianship and their definite songwriting ability.

The band delves into cajun-laced music with both "Baby Hold On" and "Mama Boulet." "Mama Boulet" is another real treat. It's a musical tribute to a Haitian voodoo queen, and is a dynamic, fun track that bears repeated
listening. The band clearly enjoys themselves immensely on this one.

The album's centerpiece is the bluegrass instrumental "Funky Mountain
Fogdown." This track features scorching banjo and fiddle playing, and is the band's nod to the bluegrass masters. It also proves that they can play the
fool out of their instruments when they put their mind to it.

Other notable tracks on this album include: "Cash on the Barrell," another
rollicking bluegrass song; the folksy "Muddy Water Home," and the title track, "Euphoria," a cover of a song done by the 60's folk group, "The Holy Modal Rounders."

There isn't a bad song on this album, in my opinion, though not all the tracks hold up to repeated listening. The songs aren't groundbreaking or world-changing, but overall, this album is a great way to relax, have fun, and forget your troubles for a while. If this sort of music interests you, I
definitely suggest that you check it out.