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 Caught in the Carousel - Music Reviews and More
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Stace England & The Salt Kings
Salt Sex Slaves
Rankoutsider Records
Call me traditional, but I'd rather learn history through a good old-fashioned lecture rather than song and dance. Minus the dance, Salt Sex Slaves sings of the sordid tales of Saline/ Equality, Illinois (a "free" state) where John Crenshaw was master and slavery produced salt. Stace England & The Salt Kings (formerly The Cairo Project) opens this concept album full blast with the country rock theme for the title track. England shows wit in "Inequality in Equality" (*hint* say it aloud…) and I'm sure everyone enjoys a good abolitionist tune like "Liberty and the Baptists" or "Freedom's Star." Creepy acronym aside, SSS has a couple of highlights, such as the goose bumps-inducing "As Real As Can Be" and the tragically romantic "Shawneetown". But for the most part, Stace England & The Salt Kings plead for their audience to review history in all of its inhumane moments and not to simply "Rationalize". To be honest, the concept of SSS is great, however the delivery leaves something to be desired. If you're up for a session of adult-oriented Schoolhouse Rock!, go for it! For my part, I'll pass.
—Julie Arca
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