True Adventures

Those looking for more dustbin rarities from vintage Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen lineups have a mixed blessing on their hands here. Fuel 2000's issue of True Adventures, recorded "live in America," contains no musician or location credits of any kind, nor is there a date on the set. Given the loose, ragged but right quality of the performance it can be surmised — and possibly incorrectly — that this set comes from the Airmen's reunion tour in 2001 where they made the rounds of the United States and even scored a live performance on Prairie Home Companion. While the lineup is unclear from the package — there are no photos of the band either — the lineup does feature Andy Stein, Bobby Black, Billy C. Farlow, Bill Kirchen, Buffalo Bruce Barlow, John Tichy, and the Commander. We know this from the stage banter. The material contains many Airmen classics like "Riot in Cell Block No. 9," "Beat Me Daddy (Eight to the Bar)," "Hot Rod Lincoln," "Down to Seeds and Stems Again Blues," and "Truck Drivin' Man." There are also fine readings of Merle Haggard's "Mama Tried," "Hard-Hearted Woman," "What's the Matter Now," and "Lawdy Miss Clawdy." This is not essential by any means, but it is engaging and a lot of fun.