Taking a cue from the Tractors, the Vidalias Melodyland pushes the envelope of country music and delivers a nice tidy package of original tunes that divulges a cornucopia of musical ideas.
   A masterful blend of styles, Melodyland flirts with genres as diverse as Texas swing, rockabilly, country, blues and rock. This fusion of distinctive sounds lays the foundation on which the Vidalias have created an album resplendent with tunes that paint a picture of middle-class life.
   Charles Walston, who wrote all 11 songs on the album, handles vocal responsibilities as he leads a quartet of musical troubadours: Henry Burns on pedal steel guitar, Jim Johnson on bass, David Michaelson on drums and Page Waldrop on electric guitar.
   Melodyland jumps out of the gate with the first cut, "Faking It," a swing/rockabilly number that makes way for two pure country tunes, "Token of Affliction" and "Carry Me."
   A fine harbinger, Melodyland offers the promise of greater things for the Vidalias, and the Vidalias offer the hope for another breakout band from the Peach State.

-Charlton Wiggins