Pittsburgh’s alternative world rock band Rusted Root’s new album Stereo Rodeo brings back the feel-good relaxed vibe that made them a hit in the 90s.  If anyone’s looking for a nostalgia trip then look no further than Stereo Rodeo.  It has the exotic jam sound they’ve become known for.  The combination of an acoustic guitar intertwined with an electric guitar and a smooth wailing saxophone, a massive wall of bongos, drums and tambourines that keep a constant upbeat tempo throughout their songs and the background singers who add in subtle echoes and hold notes to give the lead singer, Michael Glabicki, a bigger sound makes for one hell of a relaxing album. Their cover of Elvis’s “Suspicious Minds” throws in some sweet jazzy sax solos and steady rhythmic bongos.  This could have been a potential disaster but it actually worked out really well. Two more outstanding tracks are “Driving One” and “Driving Two”.  They both play around a similar heavy Latin riff and the same chorus but “Driving Two” has a slightly harder edge due to its focus on the electric guitar instead of the primarily percussive “Driving One”.  It’s an interesting way of looking at the same song twice with a few tweaks. Stereo Rodeo is a must have for Rusted Root fans and anyone who considers 90s alternative music  to be the apex of musical achievement. Written By Kyle Berg