Los Dos and the New American Ramblers at the Meadowlark

Some musicians wear earnestness like a badge, and it becomes as much a pose as anything KISS has ever done. But Los Dos and the New American Ramblers are the geniune article, with no need for airs, and that quality has meant that the act has flown largely under the...

By Tom Murphy

January 22, 2009

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Some musicians wear earnestness like a badge, and it becomes as much a pose as anything KISS has ever done. But Los Dos and the New American Ramblers are the geniune article, with no need for airs, and that quality has meant that the act has flown largely under the radar since its inception in 2003. Songwriters Mike Neff and Charles von Rosenberg clearly draw inspiration from any legendary folk artist you could name, and, superficially, they might remind you of any generic Americana band that comes to mind. What's far from generic, though, is the fact that this duo's deceptively simple music, steeped in the patois of traditional blues, seems as refreshingly original as that of its forebears. On stage, Los Dos (due on Saturday, January 24, at the Meadowlark) deliver a lively show that's generous with passion and conviction.

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Tom Murphy is a writer, visual artist and musician from Aurora, Colorado. He was a prolific music writer for Westword and a documenter of the Denver music scene.

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