Music reviews. CD reviews. Critically hip!

Fort Pastor says about themselves, “If the name Fort Pastor makes you envision an old time army chaplain band, immediately erase that mental portrait from your mind. Then shake up your Etch A Sketch and start over”. Their three-piece band consists of guitar, bass, vocals, harmonica, percussion, and … didgeridoo? This band from Orlando, FL (my home town) puts a very ethnomusicological spin on everything they do.

Their cover of Seal’s Crazy is a very interesting blend of old and new. One musician is a Republican, one’s a Democrat, and the other an Australian, and for whatever reason, a lot of that comes out in their music. Fort Pastor incorporates the music and mindset of a broad variety of ideas. They describe themselves as a blend of acoustic, folk rock, and roots music, though I cannot seem to narrow the band down to any particular label.  Although I'm not sure if they see themselves as such, Fort Pastor is associated with Christian Rock... though listening to their music, I don't see it. 

I just cannot get over that didgeridoo! Jono Callow, their Australian percussionist, plays drum set and didgeridoo at the same time. I think I might need to check that one out for myself!

Fort Pastor are currently on the 2008 “Fancy Pants Tour”, making their way to a variety of places including Lubbock, Texas and Weekiwachee, Florida and a bunch in between. If you're in their path, I strongly suggest you get out of your computer chair and head out to see Fort Pastor live. I’m sure they’ll put on a musical masterpiece worth seeing!