God, Guns, and Money - Brian Stoltz
by Karl Kukta, Jambands.com

War (music). What is it good for? The jingoists in Nashville, clearly.
funky Meters' guitarist Brian Stoltz, too, seems to think that there
is an audience for the malcontents in our country, and on God Guns and
Money he makes clear his loathing of the "chicken hawks" in both the
White House and the public sector over ten tracks that appropriately
fuse music of the disenfranchised -- namely blues, funk, folk and
roots rock -- to (re-)direct our attention to "the greatest armed
robbery in history."

The spirit of Dylan (whom Stoltz has played and recorded with)
surrounds GG&M -- from lyrical parsings to pictures on Stoltz' website
showing him reading Chronicles vol. 1, from Stoltz' vocals to the
album's production, which is of a piece with "Love and Theft". Stoltz
even goes as far as to include "War Song," a track which features the
same blues progressions Dylan uses on "Lonesome Day Blues." And,
though it may be sacrilegious in some circles to compare anyone's
lyrics with Mr. Zimmerman, the title track (which is divided into two
parts and bookends the album) deserves a place next to Dylan's
greatest protest songs -- or any other American's, for that matter.
The song has a nasty rural funk groove (electric on part 1, acoustic
on part 2) and is laced with incisive verses, such as the following:

God guns and money can help you pay the rent
When you're a politician and your capital is spent
Fire up the people, just scare them half to death
God guns and money your tight security net

Stoltz supplements his personal feelings about the war and our country
with a few songs told from the perspective of soldiers fighting in the
Middle East (albeit soldiers who would be sympathetic to the album's
other tracks). This is through and through an artifact of a
post-Iraqi-invasion America. Only "Still Some Sense Left in the World"
avoids direct confrontation with the issues facing America today.

In his desire to tell politically persuasive stories, Stoltz
occasionally overreaches, as on "War Song" when he laments, "I wish my
brother had never gone to the war; I wish this war song could remain
unsung," despite the fact that song fails to provide any details that
point to the war experience being a detrimental one. Put this song up
against Daryl Worley's "Have You Forgotten?" and there's no question
as to which pulls hardest on middle America's heart-strings. In his
anger and exasperation, Stoltz occasionally forgets that if you don't
focus some of your time telling an emotionally charged narrative, then
your message is going to be drowned out by the sentimental tripe being
churned out by the other side.

God Guns and Money is at its best when it is speaking primarily
through the music -- as on "Downtown," when Stoltz is laying down
sinuous, dirty guitar riffs over a funky backbeat. Because in order
for the message to get across, it must first find a way in. Because
once the groove has won over an apathetic citizen, the likelihood
increases of him/her be able to hear these lyrics (and others) with
new ears: "thought of going AWOL, follow my leader, to him it was no
big thing; but I used my head, laid in be, dreaming of a Baghdad
fling."

Who’d have ever thought that the first great Iraq protest album would come from the funky Meters’ guitarist? Having a brother wounded* in the war has politicized Brian Stoltz enough to write a full disc’s worth of scathingly topical songs. That doesn’t make it a one-note album: Some tracks are satirical, some poignant and some just plain pissed off, but Stoltz never loses sight of his main point: Somebody’s getting a big benefit from this war, and it isn’t you, me or the Iraqis.
To suit the subject matter, the sound veers a long way from funky Meters territory. The funk is more somber and the blues blaze with anger. Fans of Stoltz’s guitar playing shouldn’t feel shortchanged, as “War Song” and “Opposite Sides Of The War” feature plenty of his trademark wailing slide. The title track features a rare shot of Meters rhythm.
More often, the guitar lays back to illuminate the lyrics. It shadows his voice on the disc’s chilling centerpiece, “Chicken Hawk”, which recounts his brother’s return and spews venom at those responsible. At first, it’s a mild shock to hear someone other than Steve Earle be this outspoken on a CD, but that’s a sad reminder of how long it’s been since musicians were expected to do that. – Brett Milano, Gambit Weekly, New Orleans, La

* Brian’s brother was in fact not wounded in the war. A line from the song was possibly taken out of context.

The record review section is no place for political discourse. And, some would argue, neither is the record bin. Former Neville Brothers and current funky Meters guitarist Brian Stoltz knows this. In fact, he’s calling those people out on this full-length antiwar diatribe: “They’ll cut the tongue right from your mouth. The artists will be first,” he intones on Part One of the title track. And while there aren’t many Dylanesque lyrical revelations to be found in these 53 minutes of funk and blues-rock, Stoltz, whose brother is in Iraq, does get a few solid licks in. “There’s plenty of money in this business of God.” “I walk the floor from disgust till dawn.” “Jesus never walked around with a weapon in his hand.”

For Brian, the world he knows has devolved into a surrealist nightmare, one in which George W. Bush—whom he damns to hell in “Chicken Hawk”—has perpetrated “The Greatest Armed Robbery In History” and created a climate that tears families apart in “Opposite Sides of the War.” Only “This Christmas” and “Still Some Sense Left In The World” offer any respite. And since one song imagines a holiday truce of sorts and the other gazes fondly back into what seemed like a simpler past, the CD’s climate is a bleak one indeed.

If you’re still reading, you more than likely agree with Stoltz on most of this stuff. But is the music any good? Yes, although it’s not as distinctive as his lyrical stance—musically, it’s a cocktail of very modern, very professional New Orleans roots music, topped off with plenty of the guitarist’s signature rubbery licks and given a self-produced pop-rock punch. (The sentiments of “War Song” wouldn’t be half as forceful without the giant Godzilla guitar riff that keeps stomping on the three.) And while “What Is Real?” and the gorgeously dark “Opposite Sides” are more reflective than spiteful, they still pulse with a righteous anger and a frustrated befuddlement. If nothing else, this CD proves that some very blue people still reside within some very red states: “They trashed me on the soapbox last time for speaking my mind,” he grumbles on “War Song,” perhaps referring to his last disc, East of Rampart Street. This time, he’s responded like the President himself does to criticism: a lot more of the same. And whether you call that stubbornness or fortitude depends on your opinion of both men. –Robert Fontenot, Offbeat Magazine, New Orleans, La

JAZZFEST JUKEBOX
Saturday, April 23, 2005
By Keith Spera
Music writer

Brian Stoltz
God, Guns & Money
Long Overdue Recordings

As the longtime guitarist in the Funky Meters, Brian Stoltz has contributed to countless good-time grooves. But the deployment of his brother to Iraq didn't leave him in a Mardi Gras mood. On his new "God, Guns & Money," Stoltz channels Steve Earle and Warren Zevon, brokering his anger, frustration and misgivings about the conflict into his best solo album to date. The slide guitar boogie of "War Song" would work just fine with trite lyrics about roadhouses, booze or busted romance. Instead, Stoltz muses, "Deep emotion touched my family, when my brother left for the war/I prayed I'd never have to fight a day in my life, still took a wound to the heart." Smart arrangements and crisp production abounds, from the atmospheric musings of "Chicken Hawk" to the mid-tempo acoustic pop of "This Christmas." The instrumentation, much of it provided by Stoltz himself, leaves ample room for the words to resonate. But his killer riffs makes them go down easy.

- Keith Spera, Times Picayune, New Orleans, La

Louisiana Local
April 2005

Brian Stoltz
God, Guns & Money

The other CD reviewed is by Slidellian Brian Stoltz, who played guitar with the Neville Brothers during the eighties, then went on to tour and / or record with Bob Dylan, Linda Ronsdadt, Paul Simon, Dr. John, Jimmy Buffett and others. Lately he has joined the Funky Meters while also pursuing solo projects. This is the second CD of Brian’s to come out of Suitemix studio, the first being “East OF Rampart Street”. Brian Stoltz’s guitar playing brings to mind the word “journeyman”, to borrow a term from Eric Clapton. He is a consummate player technically while at the same time playing directly from the soul. Stoltz is a master of the blues and rock genre while keeping strong the ever-present funk flavor that he helped pioneer with the Neville Brothers. The songs on the CD are true to this style: Stoltz’s rock & blues guitar work over highly funky rhythm grooves, with the support of some of the best players around (including drummer Harold Bosarge, pedal steel player Dave Easley and vocalist Irene Sage and Greg Barnhill.

God, Guns & Money is a politically charged statement, and highly relevant in today’s world of terrorist and governments and so many who evokes the name of God or another while committing various atrocities. The recent election which highlighted the painfully divided psyche of our country is over. But all the old problems remain. The war continues with no end in site, as Islamist extremists continue to recruit young men willing to sacrifice themselves in a jihad, and the U.S. government builds permanent military bases in Iraq, with no apparent plan for a pullout. We live our routine day to day life, and whether we acknowledge it or not, these world issues continue to be crucial to our planet’s safety (we only have one guys). It seems rare to find someone who will deal with the issues that so many people today would rather not talk about.

Most of the songs on the CD are concerned with the war in Iraq and it’s initiators. In the second track, “War Song”, Stoltz reveals his involvement with war issues: While he is staunchly anti-war, he has a brother in Texas who is retired military and pro-Bush, and another brother who is currently fighting in Iraq. The family worries about the son and prays for his safe return: “I’m so angry I’m pissin’ fire, daddy cries his self to sleep, mama just stays kinda quiet, grandma says, pray the lord his soul will keep”. The song explores the emotions between family members and the conflict of brotherly love and differing world views.

Stoltz makes no bones about his political beliefs, no, this guy is not one to sit on a fence. Check out these lyrics from “the Greatest Armed Robbery In History”: “stuck in this desert land, my lonely heart hurtin’. Slowly realize I’m here protecting Halliburton” and…”privatize the system, let’s go rob the bank, mission accomplished boys, lets give thanks”.

From the song “Chicken Hawk”, which could be applied to a great many of the powers that be, in Washington and elsewhere…”chicken hawk, chicken hawk how can it be, that you avoid the war then try to send me. You, your sons and daughters, your lives have been spared. Chicken Hawk I’ve got a little brother over there”.

Well, if the shoe fits…
Brian clearly has the courage to say what he believes in, and what is clearly important to him. Whether you agree with his views or not, you have to respect this. His music is great to listen to and his words come from the heart. – Frank Fairbanks, Louisiana Local