Martin Zellar - They Even Use the Hooves (2002)

Alright, so I finally sat down and listened to Martin Zellar's They Even Use The Hooves: Odds Ends 1991-2003 all the way through. Two CDs worth of demos, radio mixes, fan club promos-basically a scrapbook of stuff that didn't make it onto the main albums. And honestly? Kinda love it. Zellar's one of those guys who writes songs like he's talking to you over a beer at 2 AM. No frills, no ego, just straight-up heartfelt lyrics with a little twang and a lot of truth. You know, the kind of music that doesn't try to be big but ends up mattering more 'cause of that. Most of these tracks are demos. Raw. Some got that home-recorded vibe-faint background noise, voice cracks, guitar squeaks. But that's what makes it cool. You hear the real deal. Like "Love's Gonna Live Here [Demo]"-man, that one hits different. Simpler than a polished version would be, but feels more honest. Same with "Falling Sky" and "Guilty Just The Same." You can tell he's not singing for charts, he's singing 'cause he gotta. There's a bunch of covers too. His demo of "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry"? Yeah, takes a minute to get used to, but then it sneaks up on you. Not trying to out-Hank Hank. Just doing it his way. Respect. Oh, and the Christmas tracks? "Ol' Santy Claus!" and "Holiday Medley"-super low-key, kinda goofy, definitely not for malls. But if you're into non-cheesy holiday stuff, this'll grow on you. It's like your weird uncle busting out accordion jokes, but in a good way. Not everything slaps though. Some songs drag. Like "An Open Letter To Lancelot Link"? Cool title, fun idea maybe, but feels like filler. And after 30+ tracks, even the diehards might zone out a bit. It's a deep cut collection-so don't expect bangers every three minutes. Also, zero artwork vibes. Cover's basic, no liner notes, no context. Who's Lancelot Link again? A monkey spy? Whatever. Would've been nice to know. But here's the thing-this album ain't meant for everyone. It's for fans. For people who miss the Gear Daddies, or love Minnesota roots rock, or just dig songwriters who don't give a crap about being cool. It's messy. Unpolished. Full of loose ends. And weirdly... that's why it works. Feels like finding old letters in a shoebox. Not important to the world, but means something to you.