Shine
Swamp
After a couple of albums featuring guest artists on every song (2004’s “Heroines” and 2006’s “Covered”), it’s good to hear the Swamp Fox back in the groove — and on “The Shine,” it’s a deep one.
These songs came to him and wife Leann (who co-authored four of them) last winter, “every day and every night,” he says on his website. “When I’d go to bed, they were going through my mind. It was really cool stuff, and I was like, ‘Man, I’ve got to put these down, just to see what they sound like.’ ”
And what a great batch of tunes it is. Throw in his trademark out-in-the-woods guitar (a major influence on players like John Fogerty and Mark Knopfler), surreal baritone and living-room studio (in a former Civil War battlefield hospital with acoustic-friendly high ceilings and hardwood floors), and the results are spellbinding.
The stripped-down songs feature bass and drums with occasional keyboards and, on “Paintings on the Mountain,” cello — all sympathetically played by some of Nashville’s finest. Throughout, White liberally overdubs more guitars and sparingly adds harmonica.
“Season Man” is an exercise in stream of consciousness, highlighted by Spanish-style, nylon-string acoustic guitar. “Ain’t Doing Nobody No Good” is quintessential swamp rock. “All” has an almost Deadish, country-folk ring to it. On “Roll Train Roll,” White makes a stunning return to his blues roots.
He may have mellowed with age, understandably toning down the vocal calisthenics, but his lyrical wisdom and undeniable guitar prowess keep the Swamp Fox anchored at the top of his game.
Tracks
1. Season Man
2. Ain’t Doing Nobody No Good
3. Paintings on the Mountain
4. Tell Me Why
5. All
6. Long Way From the River
7. Strange Night
8. Something to Soften the Blow
9. Roll Train Roll
10. A Place to Watch the Sun Go Down
Total time: 52:43
External links
artist’s website
amazon.com
iTunes Store