Good Old Boys and the Women Who Love Them

[Editor's Note: This is a combined review with IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GODDESS and THE BUTTON BOX.]--Audiophiles who want to experience Texas through the voice of someone other than "W." will be delighted with storyteller Barbara McBride-Smith's recordings. In IT'S NOT EASY BEING A GODDESS, McBride-Smith delivers witty versions of Greek myths, mostly ones that relate to goddesses, in a clear, plain Southwest accent. In GOOD OLD BOYS: AND THE WOMEN WHO LOVE THEM, McBride-Smith riffs on biblical tales and more Greek myths and even relocates Olympians to the Lone Star State in present day. Remarkably expressive, she vocalizes her work in a distinctive comic style. In THE BUTTON BOX, a tribute to her mother, McBride-Smith demonstrates Mama's unenviable singing style while sharing memorable lessons that can't be obscured by sour notes and botched lyrics. J.J.B. (c) AudioFile 2005, Portland, Maine