2016 – Violet Isle
Records
By Phillip Smith; July 9, 2016
There’s something kind of special
about Wooden Nickel Lottery’s latest
album, Down the Line. The songs take me back to the late Seventies, when
rock music relied on well-written songs, and radio stations still played a mix
of genres. That’s exactly what these Eastern
Iowa musicians have to offer, as they skillfully combine splashes of rock,
blues, country, funk and soul to create their own special blend of homegrown
tunes. The band is composed of lead vocalist/guitarist
Rick Gallo, guitarist/tunesmith Rich Toomsen, bassist Jessica Toomsen, and drummer Delayne Stallman.
Gallo soulfully
belts out “Can’t Be Wrong” with a power and smoothness which reminds me of Foreigner’s Lou Gramm. I dig the funky
bassline Jess lays down on “No
Second Chances”. It puts a smile on my
face with every listen. It’s easy to get
lost in the bluesy melody on “Yesterday’s Rain”. It’s nice and slow, with an Allman Brothers vibe. Hearing this one played live with an extended
jam would be a treat for sure. WNL kicks out the jams in hoedown
fashion for a downright bodacious and intense instrumental, “Throw It Down”. They keep the fire burning with the rocker “The
Open Road”, staying on course with a driving beat from Stallman as Rich sweetly
rips it up on guitar.
For a cool-as-hell finale, the
album closes out with a swampy homage to the working man in the track “Nickels
and Dimes”. Wooden Nickel Lottery scores big with Down the Line. It is such an
enjoyable album, I anxiously await their next.
