It’s tough to pigeonhole Tucson’s Determined Luddites. There’s an eclectic stylistic wanderlust that leads this band to romp through everything from swing and Irish music to bluegrass-infused numbers and story songs. Two other things make this group stand out. First, it sounds like a real band, blended and complementary, rather than like a nest of screaming egos. Second, there’s a quality of bravery about every soloist. No safety net, just serving the music up completely differently every time a song is played. “String Theory” is a dynamite 18-tune collection of original songs by Davis and Hostetler, plus instrumentals by Robertson-Tessi. It’s some of the most impressive local work in years. The lyrics, while referencing local geography and culture, likewise reflect a worldly knowledge of literary and musical riches, as well as common human experience. Along with that comes an unfailing sense of humor and heart that can tug your emotions either way in a single line. Robertson-Tessi’s instrumental numbers likewise show brilliance of construct and deft execution. There are many great tracks but I found most appealing Davis’ “The Kitchen Dance,” which anyone working with utensils in close quarters will quickly tap toes to, and Hostetler's “Better Git Right (With Jesus),” a Catholic boy's assessment of hellfire evangelical Christianity. Close behind are Hostetler’s “All Souls Day,” “Raise High the Roofbeams” and “Madwoman Blues,” and Davis’ “Little Rikki.” - Daniel Buckley, Tucson Citizen

...The Determined Luddites are sharp-eared students of music, as evidenced by the combination of bluegrass, Celtic, ragtime, Caribbean, Latin and blues music they play on their second CD, String Theory. But they also happen to play with some furious, high-octane chops... ...The original songs by guitarist Dan Hostetler or mandolinist Dan Davis, however, generally are excellent, evoking a vivid sense of place, especially many locales specific to the Sonoran Desert. The breakdowns are among the most joyful heard 'round these parts in years. Mark Robertson-Tessi often can be found captaining the instrumentals on bouzouki or mandolin. Randi Pantera provides lively low end on stand-up bass... Among my favorite tracks are the jazzy "Kitchen Dance," the satiric "Better Git Right (With Jesus)," the haunted, Pogues-inspired torch song "All Souls Day/Wee Rabbit," the Latin-grooving instrumental "La Biela" and the old-timey waltz "Raise High the Roofbeams." The band's name refers to the monkey-wrenching activism of anti-factory woolen-mill workers of the early 19th century, as related in Davis' seven-minute epic "The Ballad of Ned Ludd," a rambling and wordy, though engaging, tale. This is immensely appropriate for an acoustic band in this age of samplers and synthesizers. - Gene Armstrong, Tucson Weekly

Some Reviews of Better Luck Yesterday...

Melding together original material with traditional folk tunes, The Determined Luddites pour out toe-tapping riffs, finger-picking licks, and jazzy swing. They are as comfortable as an old pair of blue jeans. - The RoseLady, KXCI 91.3 FM Tucson

Everyone Agrees It's A Great CD - Every year at the folk festival I buy 2 or 3 CD's. I have never been disappointed, and this year I picked one that's truly outstanding. The Determined Luddites' ... first CD "Better Luck Yesterday" came out just this year. The diverse mix of tunes and styles might make this recording hard to classify, so don't try -- just leave it on top of the stack where you can grab it... - Don Copler, review in the Tucson Friends of Traditional Music newsletter