STEVE DAWSON Ghosts
( Pravda )
“ The past is gone ,” sings Steve Dawson while accompanied by a combination of spirited roots-rock and soul groove in his new album ’ s opening track , “ Time to Let Some Light In .” The song features shimmering electric piano and a bristling slide guitar solo , underscoring a message about making the choice to pull oneself up by the bootstraps and move on , even if “ freedom is another word for scared to death .” Despite the declaration to leave old baggage behind , the album ’ s title is a pretty good hint that some of those old specters remain in pursuit . “ Oh California ” suitably recalls the early ‘ 70s heyday of the Laurel Canyon sound with male-female harmony , lush pedal steel , sparkling six-string arpeggios , and sun-kissed rhythm . Against the jangling acoustic rhythm and gentle propulsion of “ Walking Cane ,” Dawson describes life as a prisoner to lingering vexations . “ Here we go again ,” he sings ruefully . Some of the old habits are personal with individual repercussions , and some are communal failings with “ history on a pinwheel .” Tumbling acoustic guitars and reedy accordion intertwine as Dawson ’ s voice drips with regret during “ Sooner Than Expected .” “ I thought there was gonna be a little more time ,” he sings while marking that time “ loss by loss .” Dawson belts “ Leadville ” as a rough-hewn rocker about roots in a small town with limited prospects and a limited worldview . “ It Was a Mistake ” is a New Orleans stroll that finds Dawson ’ s voice at its most aching and soulful , spiced by Chris Greene ’ s supple saxophone solo and a rich R & B horn arrangement . The sound is reminiscent of Elvis Costello fare including “ This Poisoned Rose ” and “ Deep Dark Truthful Mirror .” The tone brightens again for “ I Am Glad to Be Alive ,” a Paul Weller-styled Northern Soul crooner borne of reflection . Dawson expresses evident gratitude for the good days and for support from a trusted partner during the trying ones . In the country ballad “ When I Finally Let You Down ,” Dawson ’ s character pushes his luck on the home front one more time despite knowing better . “ Will you give me another chance , or will I get all I deserve ,” he wonders . The song closes with Alton Smith ’ s emotive and sublime piano , belying the troubled essence of the lyrics . Ghosts follows 2021 ’ s exceptional At the Bottom of a Canyon in the Branches of a
Tree . That intimate album found the Dolly Varden frontman refining his craft as a truly solo artist . Ghosts benefits from that vulnerable perspective while broadening scope and gathering strength through collaboration . Partners in the album ’ s creation include mainstays of the Chicago-area music scene . Drummer Gerald Dowd and bassist John Abbey are the symbiotic rhythm section that helps tracks like tragic portrait “ A Mile South of Town ” sound as natural as an intimate performance at Montrose Saloon or SPACE . Spouse and Dolly Varden partner Diane Christiansen joins as vocalist alongside Nora O ’ Conner . The dearly missed Ingrid Graudins adds harmony to the closing song , “ Weather in the Desert ,” offering the parting gift of one of her final recordings . The sense of melancholy is heightened by Brian Wilkie ’ s weeping steel before the song takes flight with an uplifting coda driven by Dowd ’ s crashing drum fills . The blend of heartland songcraft , relatable storytelling , stirring harmony , interplay , grit , and soul make this album another keeper in Dawson ’ s growing catalog . It ’ s tempting to conclude by saying that Ghosts is so good you might need a priest ’ s visit to remove it from your stereo , but you ’ d just roll your eyes . Even so , you might as well leave it to haunt the turntable .
– Jeff Elbel
9 THE BLACK KEYS Ohio Players
( Warner Records )
When The Black Keys first arrived from Akron , OH , toward the beginning of the millennium , they were a part of the return to rock minimalism being pushed by The White Stripes , The Strokes , The Vines , The Hives , and all the other “ The ” bands . With just guitar , drums , and voice , The Black Keys stripped away the bombast to leave a modern garage blues that made up for its lack of originality with lo-fi grit and a workingman ’ s consistency . It was a slow start for The Keys , with their first album selling so few copies they had to resort to mowing lawns to pay for the subsequent tour . For their first few records , they refused outside influence until producer Danger Mouse , fresh off his hit song “ Crazy ” for Gnarls Barkley , came knocking . By bringing his psychedelic box of crayons to the duo , he instantly opened up the sound of the Black Keys , breaking them into the upper echelon of stadium rock with their albums Brothers ( 2010 ) and El Camino ( 2011 ). Where these records didn ’ t completely abandon their
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14 illinoisentertainer . com may 2024