Here's the article Matt Gleason wrote for the Tulsa World, which appeared in the Spot Magazine the day before the 918 UFN EP Release Party. I thought Messrs. Gleason and Cuervo both did an excellent job. Several folks at the show mentioned that they'd come because they saw the article the day before. (Hell, it's the only reason I even showed up.)

Acoustic Ross strives for originality and humor, even when writing about Elvis: "I really wanted to write a funny song about Elvis without actually taking any direct shots at Elvis himself. You know, going to those same old jokes about the Fat Elvis... peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches, shooting TVs and all that junk. Everybody's done that, and, frankly, it's not funny to me." (Photo: A. Cuervo/Tulsa World)

Anti-Folk Frolic
Acoustic Ross' new CD takes a comic look at everything from Elvis to duct tape
by Matt Gleason, World Scene Writer

Acoustic Ross digs DVD commentaries, which usually feature directors and actors rambling on about how great they are. Well, the local anti-folkie, who makes humorous reference-based acoustic folk songs, selected three tracks on his latest release, "The 918 UFN EP," to be his own version of a rambling, special-feature commentary.

They give insight into the 33-year-old's songwriting process and explain jokes from the ode to Elvis, "Talkin' Don't Pick on the Big Guy Blues," the ditty about the wonder of Duct Tape, "Just the Thing," and his medley of tunes by the anti-folk hipster Adam Brodsky, "Brodsky Megamix."

Ross did it "because then you'll see just how clever I really am -- or something," he said, tongue firmly in cheek, on the 54-second intro to the commentaries.

Each song was written for just one use, Ross said on the "Talkin' Don't Pick..." commentary.

"That's the kind of mileage I like to get out of my stuff," he said, "because, frankly, once you hear it two or three times it's kind of stupid and you know where the jokes are."

"Talkin' Don't Pick..." was written for an Elvis tribute show. Instead of playing an Elvis cover, Ross opted to write an original.

"I really wanted to write a funny song about Elvis without actually taking any direct shots at Elvis himself," Ross said. "You know, going to those same old jokes about the Fat Elvis... peanut-butter-and-banana sandwiches, shooting TVs and all that junk. Everybody's done that, and, frankly, it's not funny to me."

The lyrics include a supernatural appearance by Woody Guthrie, who tells Ross to "save all the jokes about the drugs, the weight and the craziness for Brian Wilson's birthday."

"Just the Thing," commonly referred to as "the Duct Tape Song," is a reworked version of the original tune Ross submitted to a Duct Tape songwriting contest.

In the updated version of the tune, Ross describes "the gray stuff" thus: "It smells like athletes feet... It binds us all together and keeps us safe from terrorists."

The rules specified the entry should include "Duct Tape" in the lyrics, but Ross challenged himself not to use "Duct" or "Tape."

His entry lost.

"Brodsky Megamix" was written for Brodsky's CD release party in Philadelphia, at which Ross was invited to play.

Ross chose Brodsky's "UPS" to perform but, as was the case with the Elvis tribute, Ross didn't want to do just a straight cover.

"What's the point of driving all the way to Philadelphia just to do that?" Ross said in a recent interview.

So Ross went through Brodsky's catalog and found lyrics from about 12 of Brodsky's songs, which he inserted into "UPS."

Ross thought about doing a commentary for the EP's lead track, "Swept Down the Plain," but with all its regional inside jokes about storm shelters, Sooners, cockfighting, 3.2 beer and more, Ross figured it wasn't worth doing.

"Anyone who gets the regional jokes will get them," he said in the interview. "Anybody who doesn't is never going to get them, even if I explain them."