Walter Bodega Band

This self-titled debut CD from a Vancouver Island, British Columbia-based band features a sunny, upbeat and eclectic sound that, for the most part, serves it well.

The Walter Bodega Band is Clark Brendon, bass and vocals; Russ Godfrey on mandolin and vocals; Mike Nicholls on percussion and vocals; Jonty Parker-Jervis on violin and vocals, and Bruce Rathie, guitar and vocals. Godfrey, Parker-Jervis, and Brendon composed several of the tracks as well.

The lively opening double stops of the first track, the traditional "The Sugarfoot Congress," get the album off to a sparkling start. Parker-Jervis's violin and Godfrey's mandolin are crisp and clear and balance each other perfectly, and a percussive tambourine counterpoint gives it a bright sound. The whole piece is infectious -- you just want to get up and move