John Kilzer

If Weston is a somewhat diffident musician, it may be because he did not perform in public until after his 60th birthday. Nevertheless, his debut album consists of original and accomplished material, in stark contrast to a number of other late developers who struggle to interpret rather than invent. Weston has a childhood memory of Sonny Boy ‘Rice Miller’ Williamson cutting across his parents’ farm on his way to country suppers and juke-joints, with a belt of harmonicas strapped across his chest. Later, he heard Miller’s King Biscuit Time on KFFA out of Helena, while he pursued a number of jobs as a farmer, butcher, car mechanic and carpenter. His own harmonica technique was developed with the assistance of Willie Cobbs…

Retrospective is an odd overview of Rosanne Cash's later recordings for Columbia, featuring a combination of hits, album tracks, rarities, and new songs. Which means, the album does contain hits like the number one "Runaway Train," but it concentrates on the lesser-known material, whether it was the minor hit "On the Surface" or Elvis Costello's "Our Little Angel." It's a good compilation, but it's a little unnecessary, since the albums it is culled from – Interiors, The Wheel – function better as individual albums, and don't lend themselves well to collections.