It is an album that requires several listens to really appreciate the achievement in terms of offering a cohesive theme and sound. So the elements of hard core country are very much in evidence, alongside those of the red dirt rockers.īoland and his band The Stragglers seem to have taken on this concept to allow themselves the opportunity to explore the parameters of their sound without ever moving so far away from their roots that it will confuse or conflict with their many fans. The title is a take on his spiritually designated song I Saw The Light. That Shooter Jennings is the producer should come as no surprise, as there are hints of Waylon throughout as well as the presence of Hank Williams Snr.
#Josh rouse movin on lyrics series
It was the first in a series of releases that established him at the head of the Red Dirt posse.Įven with that knowledge and with the exception of a couple of spoken word tracks, this plays out very much on the same track as his previous releases, except maybe calling at a couple more stops on the line. That was the decade that Boland released his fine debut with his band PEARL SNAPS. In this story a cowboy is abducted and then the aliens return him to Texas in the 1990s. The theme is alien abduction and has its roots in the tale of a supposed alien craft crash landing in Texas in 1897. Review by Eilís Boland Jason Boland & The Stragglers The Light Saw Me Thirty TigersĬoncept albums are not that common in country music, but in recent times we had one from Sturgill Simpson and now comes this new release from Jason Boland. It’s just a pity that most of the current crop of ‘successful’ bluegrass bands haven’t realised this yet. There are many more delights to be discovered on the fourteen track album, which clearly demonstrates the power of choosing songs that express deeply personal sentiments. The standout song for this reviewer is I Found, a song originally performed by indie rock band Amber Run, featuring regular band member, Wally Hughes, on fiddle. Sammy Shelor (banjo) and Stephen Burrell (fiddle) contribute on the upbeat bluegrass number H eart of Sorrow and, in a nice twist, the writer of Dancing with the Stars, Jerry Salley is brought on board with Donna Ulisse to sing harmonies on this swing number.
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It’s enough to almost turn an atheist towards the light! Another inspired choice is a gospel song, The Great I Am, where the band were joined in the studio by The McCrary Sisters (Ann, Alfreda & Regina) for a stomping rendition, with a powerful banjo accompaniment from Tim Carter. The folky bluegrass ballad chronicles the fascinating story, based on Smith finding her journal in an old trunk, of how Maggie Brooks escaped from domestic abuse and went on to become a successful business woman in Missouri. Smith pays homage to her great grandmother on the only other self written song here, A Dollar Looked Mighty Good. Two slow ballads from the pen of Jude Johnston are perfect fits for Smith’s deep and slightly husky vocals: On That Train poignantly expresses the pain of life’s regrets, while the closer Unchained, famously recorded by Johnny Cash towards the end of his life, is an uplifting slow blues, featuring Rob Ickes on resonator guitar. Roe’s bass is also prominent on The River Whispers, where Smith pays homage to the comfort and healing powers of rivers, and she credits her regular bass player, the truly legendary Tom Gray, with introducing her to the benefits of river kayaking. There’s an acoustic rockabilly feel to Heartbreak Hill (written by the late Gary Scruggs), with mandolin from band mate, Lisa Kay Howard-Hughes, and bass supplied by Johnny Cash’s bass player, Dave Roe. While still using her core touring band, Liberty Pike, for the recording, she has added some special guests on this album, which has been expertly co-produced by herself and Tim Carter at his Treehouse Studio in Ridgetop, Tennessee. It’s a slight move away from the bluegrass that she is well known for, towards a more americana sound. This is part of my project to transfer my old Listology lists to WordPress.Valerie Smith has reached that fortunate stage in life where she feels comfortable in her own skin, as she proclaims joyously in the opening self-penned song, I’m Fine Being Me, on her new record - ‘No need to prove myself anymore, trying’ to get my foot in the door … who says I need more?’