Tag Archives: Tennessee

Album Review- Valerie Smith – Maggie’s Journal

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A sepia toned photo of a middle aged woman whose head it turned slightly from the camera. She looks a little shy or uncertain.

Denise Kovalevich from dmk Publicity was kind enough to give me an advance preview of this upcoming album (on Bell Buckle Records) and I owe her many thanks as this release is quite the unique experience.  Prior to getting her email I had not heard of Valerie Smith which apparently has been a blind spot in my Americana / bluegrass experience.  A little poking around on the Interwebs revealed a long discography which I will be attempting to catch up on in the future.  

As for this album…it was crafted over 12 years by Smith after the journal of her great-grandmother was discovered in an attic.   As described in the press release:

“A true labor of love, Maggie’s Journal seamlessly blends bluegrass, Americana, and roots traditions into a vivid sonic tapestry. Original songs intertwine with spoken-word excerpts taken directly from Maggie’s handwritten journal—discovered decades after her death by Smith’s cousins, Kathy Eaton and Fonda Wells, tucked away inside a “Car Load Tablet” buried in an attic trunk.”

Now for a history and music buff like me, that description is like solid gold especially as Maggie was living in the post Civil War times which are a particular interest of mine.   Add in the bluegrass component and we are officially on a good path.  

So it was with some real anticipation that I hit play and was met with “Introduction – The Dream Story” which is a reflection by Smith on a vision she had after reading her great-grandmother’s words.    It gives background on the inspiration for the album and is followed by the first journal excerpt (there are 15 of these out of the 30 total tracks on the album).  Through those selections you really get to know Maggie’s story and her rather hard path through life.  These readings are set against subtle musical backgrounds that seem to be crafted to fit the mood of each part of the story.  

The 14 original musical tracks on the album are all strong and well composed.  Lyrically they are stark and poignant, telling simple stories while providing many little details that really allow these songs to live in your mind.  A few standouts for me were:

“That Was A Long Time Ago” – the slow pace of this song leaves a lot of room for some great instrumentation that features a nice mix of stringed instruments that play masterfully off of each other.   There is also a strong bass line that is like a heartbeat of the remembered life told by the lyrics.  

“Misery of Green” – the violin on this track weaves in and out of prominent place at just the right moments, sitting behind for atmosphere in some places and then soaring up to bring the tender, sorrowful mood needed by the story.  There are also some great mandolin sounds here. 

“When You Aint Got Nothin’” – I love to listen to a composition where great musicians can bring a clear, specific vibe with their vocals and instruments and this one is a perfect example.  It has attitude and feistiness throughout with energetic vocals, a sassy violin, punchy guitar and a subtle but true boot-stompimg rhythm.   For a cool side mission, strap on those good headphones and pick out the banjo on this one as there is much awesomeness going on there. 

A technical note also that this album is exceptionally well done by Tim Carter & Scott Vestal (engineering), Donna Ulisse (producer) and Chris Latham (mixing, mastering).  You can tell the care that went into every step of the process when you hear the results, especially when you take some extra time to really listen carefully.  There are some truly exquisite moments in these songs that take a very dedicated and skilled team to achieve. 

Musicians on this, in addition to Smith are: Cody Kilby (acoustic guitar, mandolin), Stephen Burwell (violin), Evan Winsor (upright bass), Scott Vestal (banjo) and backing vocals by Donna Ulisse, Josie Smith, Mike Rogers, Rosa Vestal and Aaron Vestal.

This album is one of those unique experiences that are hard to come by and one that I was fortunate enough to be able to preview.  I would recommend this one to you and it will be out for purchase on January 1, 2026 via Smith’s website  https://thevaleriesmith.com

Let me know you think! 

And as always – appreciate the great community you have surrounding you 🙂 

Album Review- Josh Tarp & the Still – Vigilante  

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A blond man dressed in a jean jacket and while t-shirt looks at the camera.

Yes indeed, this one is from a long time ago (2014!) but I do like to look back at some classics from the past.  I did not come across this until about 2020 or so,  maybe on a steaming service, maybe on Bandcamp…not 100% sure although I did end up purchasing it eventually via that latter platform.  

The title track, which also opens the album, caught me off guard at first as it features a clapping pattern with a stark vocal from Tarp.  That rhythmic beat slowly builds by adding just a touch of instrumentation along with one of the few effective uses of “Shhhh” I have ever heard in a song.  That is followed by “A Ghost In The Radio” which uses a different but also very effective backbeat and some wispy guitar work that gives a sense of fleeting energy and sells the “chase” theme mentioned in the song.  

Next up is “Iowa,” a track with a bit of a folk and country vibe to it.  There is a buzzy bass on the front of the sound that I like and the lyrics tell a tale of heading out from home with a bit of a dreamy feeling.  

“Drink You Straight” is a singer-songwriter classic with a “lost love” storyline and slow march pacing that includes some piano / keyboard action.  It gets just a little bit long for me sometimes but other times I do not notice that issue at all.  The album closes out on “Glory” which you think would be the one I would mention as long (5:06) but the composition of this song keeps it from feeling that way.  It comes in on a strumming guitar with vocals and that forms the foundation which is joined at various times by light drum work and piano.  It is an interesting listen every time.  

This whole album is a really worthy early effort from the band and one you should check out when you have the time.  

This group does have newer music also of course (most recently “Scars”) which you can find on your steaming platforms – and they do put on a great live show if you have the chance to catch them out there in the wild.

Check out more of the music and information on the Bandcamp page https://joshtarp.bandcamp.com/album/vigilante-ep

And please think about purchasing this song after you listen – streaming music does not pay much even times a thousand…

Support your locals when you get a chance – they need you 🙂 

Let me know you think! 

Album Review- Jubal Lee Young- Squirrels

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A man in a cowboy hat, turning to look back at the camera. He is wearing sunglasses and a collared shirt. photo by Chuck Shanlever

This album just came out about a week ago and when I saw the press release from Broken Jukebox Media I was brought back to a song by Young off his self-titled album from 2007.  That song, “Deep South Blues,” has this great horn opening, kind of a haunting blues piece played like a funeral march.  It is fantastic and has stuck with me all these years.  There are no horns to open any of the songs on this new album but it all works out just fine anyway.

After listening through several times I picked “It’s Gonna Be All Right” as my favorite, mostly because it is such a slow-paced  number.  Those always intrigue me as I know how hard it can be to pull off that kind of down tempo successfully (for me at least).  This track comes in on a mournful fiddle sound which continues to set the background tone throughout the song.  The other instruments are not subdued as much as they are gracefully and quietly present, just rising up briefly for short moments.   Vocal quality is on-point, strong and clear with lyrics more hopeful than the mood of the song.  

The rest of the tracks on Squirrels are good listens also with other noteworthy songs for me being “Dumb Luck,” “Lost in Hollywood” and “Parts.”  These, along with the rest of the selections, span across several genres although they are all grounded somewhere in the classic country / Americana & folk space.  There are up-tempo dancers, honky-tonk thumpers and more to enjoy here and it all works together very well. 

Check it out on your favorite streaming channel – and let me know your thoughts about it – music makes for good conversation! 

You can also check out more info about Jubal Lee Young at his website here:

https://juballeeyoung.com/

And if you have the inclination …think about purchasing it if you can as steaming music does not pay well even times a thousand. 

As always, please remember to support your local community and artists 🙂 

Song Review- JP Harris “JP’s Florida Blues #1” from the album Sometimes Dogs Bark at Nothing  

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Yes, I know JP Harris has a more recent album (check out JP Harris is a Trash Fire) and it actually was listening to that one which brought me right back to this former release.  My favorite  track off of Dogs is “When I Quit Drinking” but this one caught my attention today…I’m guessing it is going to be a real jammer of a day here!

This song, despite its sad story to tell, has a special kind of exuberance about it that convinces you everything is going to be ok.  In addition to a rowdy, slightly chaotic drum beat and great guitars…that tambourine rattling away in the background levels this one up for me.   You will be hitting skip back on this track a few times for sure:) 

You can check out more of the music and information on the Bandcamp page https://jpharris.bandcamp.com

Please remember to get out and see your local musicians – they love the support…community is powerful! 

And please think about purchasing this song after you listen – streaming music does not pay much even times a thousand…

Song Review- Arthur Adams “You Hit the Nail on the Head” from the album It’s Private Tonight 

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This is an oldie but very goodie 🙂 and cuts all the way back to 1972.  After bumping into this album through the Cleopatra Blues page I was hooked right from go.  

When you read the roster of musical talent on this record you expect to be hit with a grand collection of sounds and this track does not disappoint.  A nice little jangle of guitar leads into a boppin’ and swayin’ drum beat and soon the clear and smooth voice of Adams.  The clavinet is just fantastic also and lends a special flavor.  You can definitely see yourself hitting the streets for a little walkabout with this one playing from the old boombox – totally awesome:)

You can check out more of the music and information on the Bandcamp page https://arthuradams.bandcamp.com/

Please remember to get out there and support your local people & establishments…community is powerful:) 

And please think about purchasing this song after you listen – streaming music does not pay much even times a thousand…

Song Review – Harlan T Bobo “Another Heavy” from the album Porch Songs

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Man…you know…some things are just so damn good that when you hear them…you just let it all wash over you for a few hours.  That would be what happened when I clicked in to Basecamp and started listening to the new release from Harlan T Bobo.  

There is a wealth of simple, stark music on this album and I selected this track as I really liked the guitar sound.  Plus the first line, “you can run, you won’t get far, you can stay, stay and it’ll be hard,” is such a great piece of simple and poignant storytelling.  The accompanying musicians on this track do a great job of building a subtle atmosphere that gives you a kind of resigned yet dreamy feeling.  

And seriously…this album belongs in your collection 🙂

You can check out more of the music and information on the Bandcamp page https://harlantbobo.bandcamp.com

Please remember to support local music & businesses – community is powerful!