Review of Danger Zone from The Missoulian Jan 9, 2004
ARTIST: The Alan Lane Band
RECORDING: "Danger Zone"
This is the Montana blues, kind of like the Southern blues but with a pinch of mountain bluegrass flavor. Alan Lane and his band are from Troy; they deliver a CD filled with some choice cover songs, including Lead Belly's "Bourgeois Blues"; the traditional "St. James Infirmary," probably made most famous by Louis Armstrong; and well-known covers by Van Morrison and Tom Waits.
"Danger Zone" - no relation to the "Top Gun" theme song - has a short list of folks making special appearances to add horns, keyboards and harmonica and is an all-around solid Montana blues album. The most enjoyable song for me was the band's rendition of T-Bone Walker's "Traveling." T-Bone is one of my all-time favorite guitarists, and I admit my bias toward any of his songs.
The Alan Lane Band's use of upright bass, dobro and mandolin was a pleasant surprise, and these instruments, along with others, find their way into songs throughout the whole album, leading to a pleasing mix of a newer blues sound with some old-fashioned bluegrass.
