Colorado T. Sky

‘Til The Moon Howls Back (Limbic Systems)
by Ryk McIntyre

This is the first CD offering from biker/Highway Poet, Colorado T. Sky, and it’s a pure gem. It’s not perfect, in fact, it’s somewhat proud of its own flaws, but it’s powerful in the way most spoken word artists try to be, in the poems they write about authentic people. This, as they say, is the real shit.

One of the few flaws on this disc is that Mr. Sky isn’t really there, no matter how loud you turn up the volume. It would have sounded better recorded live. He really needs an audience right there in front of him, to perform and talk to. His singing on this CD often sounds hesitant. I suspect he could sing a lot bigger if given a couple of Guinness’ finest.

That’s about all that lacks here. Mr. Sky has crafted not only poems, he has made folk legends, campfire stories, and initiation songs. The disc begins and ends with a piece spilt in two for a framing sequence – “Howl at the moon…” and “‘Till the moon howls back” – an unrepentant freedom song from the lone voice in the dark, a character from an Edward Abbey novel. Imagine “California Slim and Night Stick Jim” being retold by other bikers around other campfires. Each time, the tale becoming larger and longer until it reaches urban legend status. Now imagine it being covered by Tom Waits. Another great story is “The Flying Dutchman,” a ghostly moral about a biker who died while posing as Santa to poor children, and who now helps the odd, stranded traveler, before disappearing, a phantom Iron Elf. “Black Cadillac” would sound great as a cover by Nick Cave.

The CD is a good primer, an introduction to Colorado T. Sky and his own self, but you must see him live. That’s the real shit!