Curtis Eller is one of the most dynamic solo performers I’ve ever seen. He has the rare ability to pull a hush over a bar crowd and keep them transfixed through an entire set. For a lanky banjo toting guy in the 21st century sporting baggy pants, suspenders, and a bushy animated mustache who sings about such anachronisms as pigeon racing, Buster Keaton, Jesus & circus elephants, that’s quite an accomplishment! Especially since his only backup accompaniment is the spasmodic stomping of his own feet. Had he been born in the right time period, he’d have been a shoo-in for the big-time, maybe even a Hollywood silent era comedy star. But I digress… When I picked up his latest album, Taking Up Serpents Again, I was afraid that Curtis’s studio persona would pale in comparison to his live show. I needn’t have worried. From the melancholy plucked opening strains and baleful yodeling of the title track to the frenetic polka pace of Sugar in My Coffin, this album showcases the full range of Curtis Eller’s talents plus a great cast of backup characters all wrapped up in a neat little package beautifully designed by artist Jamie B. Wolcott. Highly recommended for anyone who enjoys moody music with a vintage, All-American-Circus flair.

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