Linda Thompson Proxy Music Story Sound
Followers of Linda Thompson on social media will be well aware of her risible and often self-deprecating sense of humour. That trait is very much to the fore in the title and the album artwork on PROXY MUSIC. Somewhat tongue in cheek, Thompson cleverly used both the title and artwork on Roxy Music’s quintessential 1972 debut album as a starting point for the album. However, that playfulness does not transfer to the eleven tracks on the album. All written or co-written by Thompson, her spasmodic dysphonia condition, which she has suffered since the 1980s, ruled out her capacity to sing the songs, so instead, she invited family and friends as guest vocalists to bring the songs to life.
Although hailed as a classic vocalist - her folk/rock albums in the 70s and 80s with former husband Richard Thompson are particularly memorable - Thompson is also a masterly songwriter. Working closely with her son Teddy Thompson, they began selecting the most appropriate voices to perform the individual songs, and all the artists called on gladly accepted the invitation to contribute. First out of the blocks was daughter Kami, who opens the album with the melancholy Solitary Traveller.
A previously unreleased Richard and Linda composition, Three Shaky Ships, is beautifully presented by The Unthanks, playing out like an original song by the Northumberland-born sisters. The ballad Bonnie Lass is delivered in fine style by The Proclaimers, as is the spirited Those Damn Roches, with Teddy taking the lead vocal in an ode to the musical families and dynasties (‘Faraway Thompsons, tug at my heart. Can’t get along ‘cept when we’re apart. Is it life, or is it art?’). The piano-led Darling This Will Never Do, performed by Rufus Wainwright, takes its cue from the British music hall vaudeville era.
The noteworthy folk song and album highlight, Mudlark, was co-written with Linda’s son in law James Walbourne. Very much a family affair, the vocals are by Walbourne with his wife and fellow member of the folk duo, The Rails, Kami Thompson, with Linda adding backing vocals. Teddy Thompson produced Dori Freeman’s first three albums, and the Galax, Virginia singer-songwriter returns the compliment with the stripped-back Shores Of America. The remaining contributors are John Grant, Martha Wainwright, Ren Harvieu and Eliza Carthy.
What could have been an indulgent and disorderly affair is, in fact, quite the opposite. The selected contributors excel in giving unwavering expression to the songs, which is an endorsement of Linda Thompson’s quality as a songwriter. It’s a delightfully accessible listen that will have me revisit her back catalogue of solo albums and her work with Richard Thomson once more.
Declan Culliton
Good Looks Lived Here For A While Keeled Scales
The subject matter on Austin, Texas, root rockers Good Look’s 2022 album, BUMMER YEAR, was life’s complexities, disorders and frustrations. Little did they know, on its release, the tragedy that awaited them. Having celebrated the album’s release in their hometown, the band’s lead guitarist, Jake Ames, was struck by a car while crossing the street following a performance and fractured his skull and tailbone, leading to a tortuous recovery period. Following a short-term memory loss, Ames slowly recovered but had speech difficulties. However, somewhat ironically, his ability to sing and play guitar remained unaffected. Rather than break their spirit, the incident furthered their resolve to continue to record.
Frontman Tyler Jordan had already written the ten songs for this album and, re-energised and grateful to be able to record once more, the band holed up at Dandy Sounds in Texas to track LIVED HERE FOR A WHILE. If they hadn’t experienced enough misfortune, further calamity visited them when their tour van was rear-ended on the first day of their Midwestern tour, resulting in the van and their instruments, equipment and merch ending up in flames. Fortunately, none of the band members were injured.
LIVED HERE FOR A WHILE is noticeably more high-spirited than its predecessor. Raging guitars, thumping bass lines and Jordan’s gravelly vocals point them in a more indie direction. Jordan’s writing follows a path that matches the subject matter that emerged in BUMMER YEAR. Relationships present and past are at the fore, often hopeless and sometimes optimistic. The opener, If It’s Gone, bolstered by a gloriously driving rhythm, is an angry break-up rant and the closer, Why Don’t You Believe Me?, at over six minutes the longest track on the album, is a hazy, dreamy affair of puzzlement and confusion. Self-Destructor and White Out are rampant face-melters, both mirroring the raw energy of the band’s live shows.
A full-blooded addition to their back catalogue, LIVED HERE FOR A WHILE often hits that sweet spot that sometimes only guitar-driven albums can reach.
Declan Culliton
Various Artists Petty Country: A Country Music Celebration of Tom Petty Big Machine
Despite not being a country artist, the late Tom Petty, who left us in 2017, shared a profound bond with the traditional and modern country music scene. His enduring backing band, The Heartbreakers, lent their talents to Johnny Cash's album UNCHAINED, further solidifying his connection to country music. In more recent times Dierks Bentley has enjoyed major chart success with his take on Petty’s classic American Girl, evidence of how today’s mainstream country music is a closer relation to rock music than traditional country.
PETTY COUNTRY is a comprehensive twenty-track tribute album, a testament to the wide-ranging influence of Tom Petty. It features a diverse array of artists, many of whom were not only close friends of Petty, but also collaborated with him. The majority of the versions on the album stay true to the originals, while a few stray somewhat from Petty’s accounts.
Dolly Parton, who, like Petty, and despite her initial reluctance, is a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, puts her stamp on Southern Accents. Other senior citizens, Willie Nelson and Steve Earle, came on board. Nelson, alongside his son Lukas, performs Angel Dream, and Steve Earle was the ideal candidate for a fiery version of Yer So Bad. Of the newer breed of country faces, Luke Combs tackles Running Down A Dream, and Justin Moore cuts loose on Here Comes My Girl. It's not all foot fully on the gas either. Jamey Johnson slows things down on the ballad, I Forgive It All, and Thomas Rhett puts a mid-tempo country touch to Wild Flowers.
Pick of the crop are Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives’ driving reconstruction of I Need To Know, the equally animated and soulful Ways To Be Wicked by Margo Price and Mike Campbell, a killer adaption of Refugee by Wynonna Judd and Lainey Wilson, and a live recording of You Wreck Me by George Strait. However, the real winner is the quality of the artists and players who contributed to celebrate an icon held in the highest esteem across many music genres.
The project was engineered and produced by Petty's close friend George Drakoulias, with the assistance of Randall Poster and Scott Borchetta. It is more than worthy of a place in the record collections of Petty devotees, lovers of country music, and anyone with an ear for classic rock.
The full track listing is:
I Should Have Known It by Chris Stapleton / Wildflowers by Thomas Rhett / Runnin’ Down A Dream by Luke Combs / Southern Accents by Dolly Parton / Here Comes My Girl by Justin Moore / American Girl by Dierks Bentley / Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around by Lady A / I Forgive It All by Jamey Johnson/I Won’t Back Down by Brothers Osborne Refugee by Wynonna Judd & Lainey Wilson /Angel Dream No.2 by Willie Nelson & Lukas Nelson / Learning To Fly by Eli Young Band / Breakdown by Ryan Hurd feat. Carly Pearce / Yer So Bad by Steve Earle / Ways To Be Wicked by Margo Price feat. Mike Campbell / Mary Jane’s Last Dance by Midland / Free Fallin’ by The Cadillac Three feat. Breland / I Need To Know by Marty Stuart And His Fabulous Superlatives / Don’t Come Around Here No More by Rhiannon Giddens feat. Silkroad Ensemble and Benmont Tench / You Wreck Me (Live) by George Strait
Declan Culliton
Cory Cross There's More Self-Release
There is indeed more here on Cross' debut full-length album. He has, across the fourteen self-written songs, shown that he is a talented writer, singer and exponent of his version of country music. He hasn't got the obvious edginess of some of his fellow honky-tonkers. Though he can get more rowdy when the occasion demands, there is also a certain sensitivity with a number of face-to-face intimate slow-dancing songs. The opening song here, 100 Miles, is about the distance required to be back with his partner again. Whatever occupation of travel is required, whether as a trucker, traveller, or musician, separation is an unavoidable part of the job. Later This Highway has a similar thought process, though perhaps without the destination being one place or person. Cross has co-produced the album with his drummer, Austin Choate - a member of his backing band, generally known as The Burden. The other players featured are Will Wright on guitars, steel guitarist Matthew Walton, fiddle player Brandon Arthur and bassist Kyle Farley. Born in, and now based in, Fort Worth Cross spent time playing and living in Austin before returning to the place he has some obviously strong ties to.
Cross has noted that in the past, his progress has been hampered by self-inflicted indulgences that he has overcome to create this album. This is not just a positive move on his part but one where his past experiences filter into his writing and overall direction, which can be enjoyed by others who respect his honesty. Some of the titles here relate back to those times with a certain sense of resolution, such as Cryin' In A Honky Tonk - where he declares he isn't going to cry in the venue no matter what sad songs might be played. Equally sad is Good Enough Today, about a lost relationship and a longing to be there again, with the fact that he was loved has to be the best he can hope for. Just Tonight also focuses on making the most of a short-term alliance, "ain't talking about the rest of your life - just tonight." It is a male/female duet.
A number of songs offer a stance that is that of a person caught in a particular cycle. These include Done Bein' Good (For Good), which has some strident sax and guitar solos to bolster its edgy uptempo stance. Too Drunk To Swim offers a fairly straightforward opinion of a state of mind. It is another song that kicks up the dust and has some upfront steel guitar, too. Might As Well Get High (I'm Already Lonesome) sees that option as a solution to a sense of loneliness. Quit Quittin' is another statement of defiance delivered in a more outlaw style.
Location features too with the wish, even if not physically, to be in another place - as in Salado In My Mind or with Make Malibu. A place he wishes to be made into a memorable night. Easy For You To Say touches on heartbreak and a relationship gone sour for one, if not both parties. Old Flame is another regretful ode to an affair which has burnt out. The title tracks closes the album with the hopeful notion that there is more to come, possibly bringing better times. As a starting album, this has all the signs that there is much more to come from Cory Cross.
Throughout the album, the arrangements vary in tone and tempo enough to make the album work on different levels. The production team has given the songs a suitably contemporary feel that aligns them with the Texas country music tradition but with Cross's own stamp placed on the sound, which may help them stand out in a fairly crowded market. However, the omens are good, and this is a testament to that.
Stephen Rapid
George Ducas Long Way From Home Self-Release
This marriage is made in heaven, the pairing of George Ducas, a 90s country hit-maker, with producer and arranger par excellence Pete Anderson. That era is pivotal to what is on offer here, though neither has been exactly inactive in the intervening period. Ducas released two fine albums since his two 1990s released on Capitol Records albums. Anderson has continued to work his magic in the studio. Perhaps the closest he came to the kind of music he played and produced with Dwight Yoakum previously was his work with Moot Davis, another artist who wrote and sang some excellent material when the pair worked together for their Little Dog Records albums.
Ducas has remained true to his vision both artistically and in his presentation. As does everyone, he looks older than in the pictures on those debut releases but not stylistically different. It will likely be a part of his appeal to fans of 90s country and how it managed to be a sound itself that is now being mined by many new artists as well as those who are getting some recognition again from the era and who continue to perform. While Ducas never made it to the top shelf as a solo artist, he carried on creating and songwriting, which brought him some success in subsequent times.
Here, he co-wrote all the material bar one track, Tears Fallin’ Down, which was composed by William K Hermes; otherwise, Jacob Lyda was involved with six. Pete Anderson is credited on three. Another, the excellent Cryin’ Time was co-written with the California singer/songwriter Jann Browne. This is the result of considering the available material and picking those songs that would fit the overall sound that this album was aiming for. He has said he enjoys creative co-writing, especially writing with someone who is totally collaborative. The results here attest to that.
Ducas is powerful and more assured vocally here, with his vocal performances seeing him at the top of his game. The assembled band of Anderson and regular contributor Skip Edwards (keyboards) are joined by Gary Morse on steel guitar and fiddler Donnie Reed, bassist Paul Malingagio playing alongside three different drummers for individual sessions. Beth Andersen added the background vocals. All totally bring their A-game and make this something dynamic and diverse.
What is immediately apparent is that this album sounds like fun. It has track after track that hits the spot from the opening Mr. Guitar Man. There is an appeal to the twang maestro, “my only friend in this town”, to deliver the magic. There is a 60’s keyboard sound on Cryin’ Time that blends with the baritone guitar to give it its instinctive sound. Nothin’ Left To Lose makes despondency sound appealing with its upbeat groove. Those lost relationships, the backbone of much classic country music, are explored appropriately in the mid-tempo arrangement of Do What The Lonely Do. It has one of Ducas's strongest vocals on the record. It has a subtlety that underlines that emotion with a succinct melody.
Back to the more upbeat approach for Hello Fool, showing a man looking at himself and how he is perceived when he looks in the mirror and realising that the fool he sees in it is the one to blame for his continued rejections. Another track that is an immediate standout is the title track, which again has all involved giving a performance that elevates the tracks with Anderson’s guitar tone, especially forceful. That cover song, Tears Fallin’ Down, which would, perhaps, have been right on track country chart status released back in the mid-nineties. It uses the accordion to good effect in the background under the melodic guitar bridge. The final three cuts are written with Lyda, who seems to be a perfect foil and creative ally with Ducas, Anderson joins them on Where Oh Where. The other two are Drifter and These Empty Arms. They close the album as a perfect ending to the considered and concise album that has never failed to engage me even after repeated playing, which I sometimes do with other admired albums.
The overriding hope is that this will start a more extended partnership between Ducas and Anderson. Both deserve to be recognised for the high standard of creativity and sheer vitality they have derived. This album may be being released at a time when the receptiveness to the more traditional mores of country music might find a broader audience. But, hell, even if that doesn’t happen, this is a great album that shouldn’t be too far from any home of those who know the value of this collaboration.
Stephen Rapid
Sammy Volkov & Dana Wylie The Day Had To Come Self-Release
Classic country-style duets have largely been out of favour in the mainstream for quite some time. Still, in more recent times, there have been some great examples from such duos as Jenni Muldar and Teddy Thompson or Victoria Liedtke Jason Ringenberg. They primarily consisted of re-recordings of some classic duets from The George & Tammy through to the Gram & Emmylou catalogue. So, it is welcome to find a new pairing that features all original material, even if they sound classic and well-covered. I have to admit I know nothing of these two artists other than both had individual careers and are noteworthy singers who manage a convincing sound for their voices to merge or contrast. Both are Canadian, and this collection was recorded in Alberta. Harry Gregg produced and engineered it, mixing classic country stylings with old-time and folk influences. They utilise a full cast of players who add electric and upright basses, drums, keyboards, guitar, pedal steel, violin, dobro, trumpet and autoharp to add flavour and texture to the recordings.
Volkov has written seven of the tracks and Wylie three, and these range from the Louvin Brothers’ style harmonies and themes of Here Today to the more concurrent relationship issues of a subsequent departure that is outlined in Secret Subway Conversations. It includes a spoken element that tells of the lasting hurt that has one looking to such a dialogue. Bird Song is graced by great harmonies and interaction, and both voices stand out. The pedal steel is put to great use, too. The inevitability of an ending that was detailed lyrically and is at the centre of Wyllie’s The Day Had To Come title song. On the same thread is Saw The End Before We Started about a chance meeting that wasn’t handled well. Here, they sing the words together, and it is uplifting in spirit, if not in story.
Very acoustic and seemingly ageless is Here Today with dobro and mandolin; it sounds like it could be a hundred years old. More in a gospel mode is Ain’t Found Heaven Yet, written by Wylie; it has a subtle 50s jazz tinge with trumpet to the fore and is essentially a solo vocal. It shows off the variety of the arrangements on offer. Poignant may be the best way to describe Tears On Parade, as it features some vivid storytelling and a moving violin segment. Apologies are apparent in My Heart Up Against You, which uses a slide guitar and soulful organ to help the slow-paced ballad simmer. Though the words are downbeat, the feel of Long Long Gone is more elevating than it might be in the circumstances. The final inclusion is There Are Angels, which returns to a more spiritual ambience with the pedal steel and organ used effectively.
If, like me, you are drawn to these examples of harmonies, interaction, and opposite views, you will no doubt enjoy discovering this album and the exceptional vocal ability of the two artists, who have contributed much to the recent upsurge in those interested in recording. Those who are receptive to the end results of this genre, of which this is a very fine example, will also enjoy it.
Stephen Rapid
Paul Lush Six Ways From Sunday KKPL
Forgiveness is in the air when it comes to the core theme running through this fine album. Released in the latter part of last year, the music somehow evaded the radar at Lonesome Highway central. All the better to discover the superbly crafted songs into a new year and to pay due homage to the artist now. Paul Lush is a native of New South Wales and has been part of the UK music scene for quite some time at this stage. Having worked in various collaborations and musical projects over the years, Paul is probably best known for his inventive guitar work as a key member of Danny and the Champions Of the World since 2011.
He released a solo album in 2021 under the name of Araluen, a small town in his native Australia, and some of the musicians that appeared on the album also appear on this follow up release. Paul takes lead vocals and plays guitars and mandolin across the twelve tracks featured. He also wrote all of the songs and his vocals are very engaging, his native accent coming through in his delivery, reminding me of his fellow countryman Paul Kelly in the warm tone.
The album charts the breakdown of a relationship and I find myself wondering whether the songs come from personal experience or purely written from the perspective of observing others. Probably a mixture of both in the process of exorcising all those old ghosts and trying to find a new direction in order to move on. The album actually starts out after things have ended on Don’t Tell Me That Now where seeing an old flame conjures up feelings that had been consigned to memory. Emotions still linger despite the resolve to leave the past alone.
Ever At A Loss offers a friendly hand in times of doubt where new beginnings can make it hard to accept the changes made. Both songs offer the dynamic of what resonates in the fallout from many different, but similar, relationships. Things take a turn on You Could Have At Least Said Something where a sense of frustration still remains at a lack of communication, with true feelings remaining hidden. The lyrical guitar playing of Paul Lush is a highlight, as it is throughout the album; his light touch and dexterity revealing new layers of creative nuance in the delivery.
Philip, You Need To Hear This offers sage advice to a friend who still lingers in the hope that a relationship can be saved, with the superb pedal steel atmospherics of Henry Senior charting the loneliness of the situation. Again, on In A Heartbeat the offer to be there as a support is genuine and heartfelt, the sweet mid-tempo melody illuminated by some laid-back guitar lines from Lush. Fates’ cruel hand is blamed for the poor timing on As It Stands while the jangling guitar and harmony vocals conjure a sound that is sunny and upbeat.
Soft Pedalling also bites, in the reality of a new relationship now over, where the guitar rages and anger lingers ‘no matter what I said, The girl never really cared for me.’ Perhaps the most poignant song is the country sound on You Just Know When You Know and the grim acceptance that something has changed and shifted in a relationship ‘walking on eggshells, just trying to second-guess you.’ Who hasn’t been there at some stage with an old flame. Things don’t get any better on Someone That You Used To Know and there is fear of rocking the boat ‘now our comfortable silences are no comfort at all.’ There is an acoustic blues feel to the song with pedal steel adding some nice atmospheric touches.
No One Comes Out Of This Looking Good realises mistakes made and tries to reconcile how things became so fractured. Such complicated webs we can weave in trying to connect with each other. On the song For What It’s Worth the guitar soars in the arrangement as the keyboards and rhythmic beat drive the break-up song to great heights and the lyric resonates ‘I guess when it all comes down to it, I just miss my friend.’ Final song Trail Of Tears recounts the tale of a splintered family, siblings forced into foster care and the lonesome pedal steel illustrating the sadness of a motherless child. It is a lament for the children of Australian Aboriginal communities that were torn apart by mindless Government intervention over a prolonged period of some sixty years.
The other musicians on the album are Alan Gregg (bass), Steve Brooks (drums), Sean Read (keyboards, percussion, backing vocals), Henry Senior (pedal steel) and Danny George Wilson (backing vocals). Production is by Sean Read and the impressive sound is laced with a great dynamic in the delivery. A very rewarding album that is packed with great tunes and plenty of insight into the human condition along the way. A very immersive listening experience and worthy of immediate purchase.
Paul McGee
Tim Easton Find Your Way Black Mesa
In the storied career of Tim Easton this album may well stand as a career highlight. Never shy in relating his personal experiences of life and everything after, Easton has been a light that shines in the distance for many struggling singer-songwriters. Those who strive to make a living from the conveyor belt of would-be artists that struggle in the music business these days are well advised to take courage from his journey.
Starting out in 1997 as an aspiring artist, Easton has walked that lonely road of acceptance and rejection for a number of decades and the necessary thick skin that grows from such experiences is what delivers him today as one of the most insightful writers of his time in this crazy world of short attention spans. His prodigious output bears testament to the talent that champions an independent ethos in everything that he does and his songs bear testament to the insight gained.
On the song, Everything You’re Afraid Of he asks ‘Send a meaningful prayer of sympathy to all your enemies.’ It’s a message of peace at a time when the turbulence of the world overwhelms us. Throughout the album Easton seeks for redemption and understanding in the songs that can speak to a sense of higher purpose. This sense of going it alone is at the core of all that defines Tim Easton, a troubadour in the true sense of the word. He has sacrificed relationships in his pursuit of the golden fleece and his instincts are finely honed to the price that has been paid. Here For You is a song of commitment to his ex-wife and the bond that is shared in raising a daughter.
There is the rueful lover on Arkansas Twisted Heart who reflects ‘You know you did me wrong babe, And I did the same to you, We never shut the doors on the things that we used to do, I could never make you love me the way that I need you to.’ The feeling of loss is palpable in the delivery. Elsewhere the blues groove on Bangin’ Drum (Inside My Mind) and Dishwasher’s Blues capture the essence of resilience, self-doubt and acceptance that serve to highlight life’s struggle. The latter song sums everything up in the lyric ‘Just because you quote Jesus, And a line or two from Five Easy Pieces, Doesn’t mean you have a right, To tell me how to live my life.’
Another song, Little Brother speaks of the complex relationship that can exist between brothers ‘Little Brother, I never know what to tell you, We’ve both been on the run, In between hell and the burning sun.’ Arkansas Twisted Heart is a song that captures two rebels living life on the run ‘We hit the highway running, crossed a half a dozen state lines, You rode shotgun and I was always driving blind.’ Another song seems to touch on a personal theme and the words on What Will It Take resonate ‘I was young and careless, breaking all my chances, Bound to my impossible desire.’ And yet, by the concluding track we have a sense of acceptance and reconciliation on By the End Of the Night and the words ‘This all started before we were dancing close, It’s just something that happens, To those who don’t want to be alone.’ Beautiful Spanish guitar lifting the melody and the slow groove of the song.
The album was produced by Leeroy Stagger, a close friend and collaborator, while the musicians include Geoff Hicks (drums), Jeremy Holmes (bass), Jeanne Tolmie and Ryland Moranz (harmony vocals), and Tyler Lieb (pedal steel), with Easton providing lead vocals and guitar. The interplay between the musicians is superbly crafted and delivered and there is a timeless quality to the entire project. This album is certainly one that you will not want to let pass you by.
Paul McGee
Steve Dawson Ghosts Pravda
Welcome back, Steve. I’ve been missing some new music from the bard of Chicago as his last album was the wonderful At The Bottom of a Canyon in the Branches of a Tree back in 2021. The master of melody and a pithy turn of phrase, Steve doesn’t ever overstate his personal gifts and always delivers music of incisive and insightful clarity.
Walking Cane is a standout song with the sweet vocal phrasing of Steve drifting gently over a lovely melody and the pedal steel of Brian Wilkie sending shivers down your spine ‘Maybe it’s the chances, The random crush of time, Dulling down the edges, The will to fight resigned.’ This mellow perspective of ageing so succinctly captured and delivered with such humanity. Again, on Sooner Than Expected we get further insight into the process of grieving and acceptance ‘I still get a stab in the centre of my chest, when I remember your laughing face, loss by loss, year by year, try to keep up, try to keep pace.’
Memories of youth surface on Leadville and an image of getting stuck in a nowhere life ‘I got my first job when I was fourteen, washing dishes in a kitchen full of raging men, their endless bragging about pussy and cocaine, made me promise myself I wouldn’t turn out like them.’ Steve sings in an almost hoarse tone as the latent anger simmers just below the surface. The soulful delivery on It Was A Mistake has a slow blues groove with a great organ sound coupled with horns and a slide solo from Steve. As a lament over lost love, this one is a beauty.
Time To Let Some Light In heralds a new manifesto and the album title could easily have been this, instead of Ghosts, even though there are some spectres hidden in the lyrics and the memories. I Am Glad To Be Alive is another statement of positivity as Steve looks forward with optimism with his partner Diane Christiansen harmonising quite beautifully as the song builds and the superb guitar climbs in intensity.
A Mile South Of Town captures the dying moments of an army veteran who crashes into a deer on a lonely highway in the middle of the night. It is right up there in the examples of how to craft the perfect song from an idea that is uniquely captured, the lyrics freezing the moment so perfectly in the writing ‘ In the middle of the road, still as a photograph, the skid marks and the blood, and the broken mama deer, the whiskey still alive from my last breath.’ It doesn’t get much better than this as regards creative and insightful writing.
When I Finally Let You Down looks at a fractured man being held together by the love of a good woman who is running out of patience ‘If I pass out on your stairs, If I shatter your last nerve, will you give me another chance, or will I get all I deserve.’ Again, the emotive vocal of Diane Christiansen lifts the song dynamic higher. The final song Weather in the Desert deals with the issue of suicidal notions and handles it in such a gentle fashion ‘Sometimes I wish I could call you up, we could talk about your dogs, and the weather in the desert.’ The beautiful song arrangement perfectly capturing that sense of loss when someone is no longer there ‘You told yourself you would not be leaving, you were gonna drink those bottles down, until you stopped breathing.’ By the end of the album you do feel as if all these old ghosts that have been given an airing have finally been resolved within a form of perspective that allows for ongoing growth and reflection.
Steve Dawson wrote all the songs and delivers with restrained beauty on guitars and vocals. He is joined by a superbly talented band of musicians with Gerald Dowd (drums, harmony vocals), Brian Wilkie (pedal steel), Alton Smith (Wurlitzer, piano, accordion, harmony vocals), Nora O’Connor, Diane Christiansen and Ingrid Graudins (harmony vocals), Chris Greene (tenor and baritone saxophone), John Moore (trumpet) and Tommi Zender (baritone guitar). The playing is very organic and flows easily across the nuanced production by Steve Dawson and John Abbey.
An essential album and recommended to any discerning music collector.
Paul McGee
Linda Thompson presents... Proxy Music , Good Looks, Cory Cross, George Ducas, Sammy Volkov & Dana Wylie, Paul Lush, Tim Easton, and Steve Dawson - Singer / Songwriter