A review of Reciprocity by Tom Petersen

March 2007 issue of "Victory Review"

Been pretty high times for the ol' pie plate and reso-meister Mike Lundstrom just went everybody one better with Reciprocity. If there's anything he can't slide, it doesn't exist. (Or put it this way: Orville Johnson's on the record, NOT playing dobro!) On top of that, he's a fine, fine singer, with a manly, controlled delivery that makes every tune his own without dragging songs away from their genre. Lundstrom just plays what's good, be it Randy Newman (here twice), founders (Robert Johnson) and followers (J.D. Loudermilk and Delbert McClinton), or the great American Songbook (Porter, Mercer). His blues are blue, his fun's funny ... and through, around, over, and under it all are the most amazingly versatile resonator guitars. His sound is generally flawlessly smooth — he can make it purr so that it's hard to believe he's polishing a hubcap — but he calls forth every voice, every effect, and every emotion that each tune needs. Lundstrom isn't quite doing it all by himself; Orville's there, and partner Rolf Vegdahl's got his back with some excellent, restrained keyboard and occasional guitar and vocals. What a record!

Site by Sun Graphic