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Written by Eammon Azizi Monday, 22 October 2007 13:59

All in all, Dutch Henry is made up of four talented musicians who obviously have a passion for songwriting, and they do it well.

Dutch Henry is your standard two guitars, one bass and one drum ensemble, and while they don't push the bounds, they do play well within the confines. What this Detroit band does with "all that space" in between is to produce a fairly approachable alt/country/rock album along the lines of the Old 97s.

The title track starts the album off right, but the following two tracks, "Smile" and "San Diego," are so whiny—one of the choruses has the lyrics "Save a tear for me"—that many listeners may not get past them. That's a shame, because Dutch Henry settles into a nice groove the rest of the way.

The track "Aron Gordon" gets the toes tappin' again and "Lonely You" is probably the most poppy, sunshiny track on the album. Then there's "Streets of Where I'm From," which, performed live, would have the crowd reaching for their lighters. The "hidden" bonus track is probably titled "Elvis Shoulda Done This Song," and it's a lively, energetic tune that deserves to be promoted to a true album track.

All in all, Dutch Henry is made up of four talented musicians who obviously have a passion for songwriting, and they do it well. "All That Space" is full of stories you've heard before and heard better, but it's also filled with an infectious enthusiasm that comes through on every track. And that alone is worth a listen. B-  | Eammon Azizi

RIYL: Old 97s, Gov't Mule, Uncle Tupelo

Online: http://www.dutchhenry.net/