My Corner
Slide on Rye
Hill’s 1999 self-titled debut was an electric affair, a solid blues-rock effort with two or three songs displaying a penchant for Middle Eastern-accented arrangements á la Led Zeppelin or Derek Trucks. For his sophomore outing, the award-winning Arkansas singer/songwriter/guitarist takes a folk-rock route, choosing largely acoustic arrangements.
The emphasis this time is on storytelling. There’s the autobiographical “Another Chapter,” about love found, lost and regained; the tributary “Angelina”; the reflective “Different Faiths”; the biopic “Country Soul”; and the condemnatory “First to Fight.”
There are instrumentals (“Smokestack” and “Forbidden Fruit”) and even one of those Zeppelinesque tunes (“Blessed Dream”). But what really hits home is the tear-jerker title track, told from the point of view of a man relating how he came to be homeless.
Tying it all together is Hill’s authoritative guitar work, including occasional Dobro and mandolin and plenty of slide. Support work by pedal steel guitarist Bob Hoffnar and background singer Joanne Lediger (Stir Fried, McMule) top it all off nicely.
Tracks
1. My Corner
2. Blessed Dream
3. Another Chapter
4. First To Fight
5. Smokestack
6. Country Soul
7. Angelina
8. Forbidden Fruit
9. Different Faiths
10. Washing Away
Total time: 44:18
External links
artist’s site
Bandcamp
