There is a dark, almost spooky vibe to much of this music. This is heavily roots based. Yet there is a modern angle to the music, as well. This is a very classy set.
This review is available in book (paperback and hardcover) form in Music Street Journal: 2023 Volume 2. More information and purchase links can be found at: garyhillauthor.com/Music-Street-Journal-2023.
Track by Track Review
Torch Song There is a cool retro sound to this. It seems to merge old-school blues, Americana and jazz into something just drips cool and charm. The bass work on this thing is so tasty.
Blue Silhouettes Equally tied to an era gone by, there is a dirge-like quality to this, and it includes some symphonic strings. It makes me think of something Camper Van Beethoven might have done to some degree.
Little Girl Blue More of a folk song, this has plenty of style. it's still quite roots music based.
Kiss the Ground There is a gritty, and dark folk music turned blues and rock sound to this. It has more of a modern angle than a lot of the rest does. The guitar work is classy, and the roots angle is still pronounced.
Don't Be Long Less gloomy, this has a fun folk rock vibe to it. It's still quite retro in nature.
Never Trust a Barber Darker, a little spooky, this is packed full of blues and Americana.
Falls Thistlethwaite This driving folk tune has a lot of country in place thanks to the pedal steel guitar. The tune is a fun one. It is firmly roots based.
Pipedream Blues Bluesy Americana is in the driver's seat here. This is artsy and strong. It's perhaps a bit more modern than some of the rest here, but still has a solid roots thing at play.
Tincture for Trouble This is another with a lot of folk music built into it. It's expressive, dramatic and artsy. It's also compelling and one of my favorites here.
Howlin' at The Earth I love how this one manages to bring all the sounds of the album together. We get plenty of bluesy Americana, but there is a jazz angle and much more. It's the most dramatic tune here, and another of the standouts.