BONEHART FLANNIGAN
“Bonehart Flannigan. There may be no more fitting pseudonym in all the singer-songwriter pen names I’ve heard. First, it sounds a little silly rolling off the tongue, makes you giddy in some way. Same goes for a Bonehart Flannigan performance. While the songs may hurl themselves at heartbreak, murder and destitution, their exuberance and charm matches that of their composer. But back to the name: Bonehart Flannigan. There’s something boisterous about it. What sort of person has that name? Well, it’s whatever piece of Jon Dell writes the rip roaring folk that takes the stage with him at a Bonehart show. Whether it’s a motormouth homage to Dharma, the immortalized van of his other band Universe Contest or the wicked-sharp murder ballad “Mean Blade of Grass,” Bonehart music wears most of its emotions and intentions right there on its happy, dirty sleeve. Whatever the message may be, it’s absolutely exuded by a country rock voice and a speeding acoustic guitar. Life sucks, life is great. Bottoms up!”
Chance Solem-Pfeifer, www.hearnebraska.org