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who profit from the depletion of natural resources at the expense of the poor . The song ' s musical accompaniment falls between Son Volt ' s " Tear Stained Eye " and Camper Van Beethoven ' s " Sweethearts ." It isn ' t all fistshaking at the Man , though . " Perfect Crime " finds its protagonist feeling like Lady Luck may soon smile on him in matters of love , despite having done time in the big house of the heart . Maybe lockup wasn ' t all that bad , anyhow . " Folsom ' s where you wanna be ," sings Mallonee . " Johnny Cash would come and play . He said , ‘ I love each and every one of you ,’ and then he ’ d bow his head and pray ." Mallonee ' s better half Muriah Rose joins " One Moment Stands Out " on harmony vocals . It ' s a sweet song in remembrance of the day that passion first caught flame . " Lord , I asked You for a heart of gold ' cause I didn ' t have one myself ," sings Mallonee in thanks for his beloved . The sentiment is revisited during " Beneath Those Carolina Pines ." Rose joins again as the couple sings about putting in the hard work during " Rough Patch ," acting as Emmylou Harris to Mallonee ' s Gram Parsons . Mallonee often works as a lone wolf , but the album includes crafty friends who elevate several tracks . Pedal steel player Bill Pratt ' s history with Mallonee includes the memorable Permafrost and Beatitude albums . Pratt adds evocative and weeping lines to accompany Mallonee ' s acoustic guitar during " Must Have Been First Thing Come Into My Head ," where Mallonee apologizes to his lover for rash talk . " Let ' s travel on as one to where Love gets the last word ," he sings . Atlanta-based guitarist Mark Konzal trades twanging Telecaster lines with Mallonee ' s chiming guitar on " Mother-Lode ." Veteran Vigilantes of Love bassist Chris Bland joins several songs , including the Stonesy reflection of hard times " Taking Us All for a Ride ."
The reflective " Whatever ' s Left of Me Now " finds Mallonee taking stock and sorting through troubling news of the kind that awaits everyone due to the relentless march of time . Ultimately , he swears an oath to find joy in whatever years or hours he has left . "' Til Your Heart Got in the Way " and " Nothing Lasts Forever " include fleeting reflections on Mallonee ' s younger days as a critics ' choice being hailed as the next big thing , starting on the path that got him where he is today . He ' s still putting in the hard work and crafting art from everyday life like it ' s the only thing he knows how to do . For those who prefer their music to carry an artifice-free stamp of authenticity , Here it Opens with a Prayer , but it Closes with a Song rings true enough to believe . billmalloneemusic . bandcamp . com
– Jeff Elbel
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