YepRoc Records
Legendary Maverick singer joins forces to re-interprate Bluegrass
Bluegrass wouldn’t be the first thing you’d expect from Jim White; but after ‘discovering’ the songwriter after seeing his amazing BBC TV documentary; Searching For The Wrong Eyed Jesus, the Packway Handle sought him out to produce an album; only to discover he had a secret stash of Bluegrass albums dating back to his teens; and subsequently this album has developed.
As White’s many fans will expect; this isn’t straightforward Traditional Bluegrass; but the end result is a joyous collision of styles that adds a bit of ‘edge’ and some pretty cool melodies to this straight-laced music.
The banjo that opens the album on Smack Dab in a Big Tornado only lulls you into a false sense of security because the lyrics are quite Southern Gothic over a frantic hillbilly tune. I was hooked like a fish on a line.
Jim 3:16 certainly isn’t your typical Bluegrass Religious Revival song; with a chorus of “A bar is just a Church were they serve beer” as a trumpet and possibly euphonium take the place of a Salvation Army Band as White ends up giving in to temptation and stays in the bar.
Paranormal Girlfriend is probably the nearest thing to a Classic Bluegrass song; but even then there is a still a smile or two deep in the lyrics.
While the rest of the album is a joyful riot, Sorrows Shine played out on banjo and gorgeous harmonies reminded me of GP by Gram; were a Rock singer is paying his dues to the music he grew up with and it’s a beauty.
The only co-write here, Corn Pone Refugee is a veritable 100mph hoedown with the banjo and guitars being played at a fair old lick as Jim and the Handle Boys have the time of their lives.
The album closes with a Gospellish song; Sinner! And it’s a peach – everything you would want and hope for from this delightful combination.
While TAKE IT LIKE A MAN sounds nothing like the album Steve Earle made with Del McCoury in 1999, but the idea and the end result is just as intriguing and enjoyable.
RELEASED January 27th
The Rocking Magpie 