Press & Reviews

Reviews

Atlanta Live Music Picks

Access Atlanta: Atlanta Live Music Picks

Cowboy Envy: Sweet harmony

Atlanta's Western trio sings happy trails to you

Creative Loafing: Cowboy Envy Sweet Harmony

Language of Dreams

Berné Poliakoff is Frenchy in the campy Cowboy Envy combo. She's the fiery redhead, a brassy chanteuse who jokingly cracks both whips and jokes with the best of the west. Here, on her debut solo album, she slightly steps away from the rollicking western swing combo. This is where she broadens her Frenchy character, adding a slew of different styles to her already overflowing saddlebag o' tricks. Yes, she still touches on her enviable country roots with gusto, but she also moseys on into the big city for some brushes with torchy twang and sassy boogie-woogie.

Poliakoff's winningly whimsical, often bittersweet, original compositions blend old-timey folk, non-commercial country and Andrews Sisters-style swing into a rootin' tootin' cow-tippers delight. She returns to the trail plenty of times throughout, so longtime Cowboy Envy fans shouldn't be disappointed. Heck, the whole durn Envy crowd is featured here as well.

Her bandmate Too Short (DeDe Vogt) co-produced the collection with Poliakoff at Vogt's Sound and Fury Studios in Pine Lake, and Buffalo K (Kathleen Hatfield) offers background vocals. Even Ropin' Rodger French is on board, with contributions from a whole posse of dad-blamed session folk and longtime Decatur scenesters, including Rev. Jeff Mosier, Brandon Bush and Linda Bolley.

Highlights include the accordion-powered country of "Till My Wild Blue Yonder's No Longer Blue." the solemn yearning of "The Language That You Dream In," the goodbye to youth of "Looks Like My Childhood's Being Sold" and the feel-good ragtime of "A Man Who Can Dance." Whatever language Poliakoff dreams in, the package trots along at an enjoyable pace, and the whole set is a Texas mile from being a nightmare. Yessiree, this Dream is one of those perfect sleepers where waking up, or in this case, the end of the album, is a dag-nab drag.

Lee Valentine Smith, Georgia Music Magazine, Fall 2005


 

About Berné

 

One of Atlanta's finest vocalists has finally released a solo album, and the beautiful and talented Berné is celebrating with a bunch of her friends...

Creative Loafing - James Kelly

 

A Cowboy Rides Solo

Charming chanteuse Berné Poliakoff, also known as "Frenchy" when she performs with those wacky country wranglers Cowboy Envy, has finally completed her first solo recording, The Language That You Dream In, (sic) and will host a family-friendly CD release party on May 1 at Jake's Toadhouse at the very non-rock 'n' roll hour of 5:30 p.m. Guests include Geoff Achison, Cowboy Envy, Marty Kearns, Sue Wilkinson and Melanie Hammett.

Lee Valentine Smith, Creative Loafing

 

"Berné's well wrought verses combine with her beautiful voice to create music that captures one's mind and aural senses.  Bravo!"

Harlon Joye - WRFG Radio, Fox's Minstrel Show

 

"Her vivacious and enchanting personality captivates the entire audience... extraordinary... delightful to hear"

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

 

"Berné is a performer who can smile while singing a perfectly heart-breaking song. She's comfortable in the lulling of a ballad...a romance with wordplay runs through these lovely pieces..."

David Chamberlain
"Sagebrush Boogie" WRFG FM Atlanta

 

About her band, COWBOY ENVY

"Beautiful ensemble singing and heavenly harmonies.."

Creative Loafing

 

"This record (Wagons Ho) is a rare delight." (4 out of 4 stars).

AMG Expert Review

 

"The harmony is pure and tight, yet also creative...the voices seem to meld intuitively...the effervescent Poliakoff..."

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

 

Awards for COWBOY ENVY