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Alastair Moock Bad Moock Rising 1999, Bad Moock Rising Records Close your eyes and listen to Alastair Moock’s recording, Bad Moock Rising, and the image you conjure up is of a flannel shirted, bristly chinned old man who has been sitting on his front porch singing to the stars and heavens for decades. It’s the voice—raspy, road weary, rough and rootsy. Surprisingly, the voice belongs to a boyish looking man in his late twenties. Moock’s music reflects some of the old-time traditional music sung by Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and Huddie "Leadbelly" Ledbetter. Although steeped in tradition, Moock adds a definite contemporary twist, with a keen sense of irreverence, which draws the listener in. It’s music the common man can relate to -- unpretentious, honest and real. The lyrics are smart and sassy and don’t hold anything back. The melodies are uncomplicated and fresh. There are only eight tracks on this release, but it sounds like more. Moock can write songs with the best of them. "Woman Like The Wind" is a hook laden country rocker and "Tell Me When You Go" is a lonesome roadhouse love song. And then there’s that irreverent wit. "Here’s a Latte and My Middle Finger" (which is marked not for airplay) is a humorous, stick-it-to-you kind of song directed at over educated pseudo-intellectuals. The album ends with Woody Guthrie’s "Pretty Boy Floyd." His between verse patter shows that Moock has a real sense of the song and its history. Moock is joined on this album by Tim Kelly on dobro, Dave Rizzuti on pedal steel, Sean Staples on mandolin, McGregor McGehee on bass and Bob Pallucio on drums and percussion.—Sara Barss