Ron Houston: “Real Outlaw Americana Music” (2024) CD Review

Ron Houston is a singer and songwriter based in San Diego, where folks know him from his work in the bands The Sickstring Outlaws and Ron Houston And The Berry Pickers. He has also released solo albums, including A Long Road Home in 2021, and The Streets Of West Monroe in 2022. His new solo album, Real Outlaw Americana Music (or, R.O.A.M.), features mostly original material, songs that deal with personal troubles but have universal appeal. Joining him on these tracks are Jeff Berkley on guitar and banjo, Jerry Raney on guitar, Joey Harris on guitar, Marc Intravaia on guitar and slide guitar, Rolle Love on bass, Christopher Hoffee on bass, Ken Dow on upright bass, Matt Lynott on drums, Joel Kmak on drums, Shawn Rohlf on banjo, Melissa Harley on fiddle, and Josh Weinstein on keyboards. Cathryn Beeks, Joshua Taylor and Sandi King provide backing vocals. This disc was originally released in January, when it was available at his concerts and on streaming sites, and is now receiving the wider release it deserves.

Ron Houston opens the album with “Whiskey Train,” a song about drinking and pain, sung from experience. You can hear that experience in every syllable he delivers. “And it’s been rollin’ so many years down these old rails of pain/As I look around at where I’m from, it doesn’t quite feel the same/And all my dreams that I’ve left behind remind me of who I became.” Yet he is not down on himself, nor is he preaching. Rather, there is something matter-of-fact about what he’s saying, which somehow makes it all the more poignant, particularly in lines like “And now that I’ve lost everything I loved I guess it’s time that I moved on.” And just when it seems about to end, the song suddenly picks up in pace, shooting forward to another level. The train is rolling now and there is no stopping it. And it’s not an act of desperation, but rather freedom and abandon. I’m digging that drumming. The guitar has a few things to say as well, and there is some really nice backing vocal work too. It’s a delicious opening number.

“Lines On My Face” begins in a mellower place and features banjo. Ron grabs us with the song’s opening line: “Well, I’ve been shown all my wrongs, I’ve been read my rights.” Again, his is a voice of experience. We trust what he sings here as personal truth. “If you must know who I am, just read in between the lines on my face.” We hear the honesty of his lyrics. There is something beautiful in the pain expressed here, or rather, in the expression of that pain. This one also mentions whiskey in the lines, “I made sure that my whiskey was filled to the brim/I tried drowning all my sorrows, but the bastards they learned how to swim.” Wow, those are excellent lines. Then “People Lookin’ The Other Way” begins by establishing a good beat and setting the scene with its first lines, “Walking down the street late at night while the moonlight’s shining bright/Couples holding hands, homeless holding out their cans, pimps and hookers just out of sight.” And then it’s like the perspective shifts to one of those street people, for Ron Houston next sings, “People looking the other way, and I ain’t got no place to stay.” I suppose we’re all guilty of that from time to time, aren’t we? There are times when we just can’t deal with it, and pretend to focus on something else as we pass by. This track features some really good guitar work.

“I dread the darkness when the night comes ‘round,” Ron Houston sings at the beginning of “Waiting On A Miracle,” a song that has more of a folk vibe, particularly at the start, with an intimate vocal approach. This is one of just three covers on the album. It was written by Tim Flannery, who used it as the title track for the 2022 Tim Flannery & The Lunatic Fringe album. But you get the sense that Ron Houston could have written this one himself, its lyrics fitting well with what we’ve heard so far on this disc. “Broken pieces from a broken heart/I’ve been broken down right from the start/The world, it seems, got the best of me.” This one also contains some nice guitar work. It is followed by “Blood On The Mountain,” which begins on banjo. And Ron Houston’s voice is strong, sounding like it is coming from the top of a mountain itself. This is a compelling start, transporting us and commanding our attention. “When that sun goes down/Well, I’ll hit another town/When that sun comes up/Well, I won’t be around.” After those lines, the other musicians come in, but this feeling of danger is maintained. Check out that bass work in the second half. This is one of my favorite tracks.

“Drinkin’ Got The Best Of Me” is another song about the adverse effects of alcohol on a life, but delivered with a certain fondness. “Years and years have come and gone now, and I don’t remember one damn thing/Well, thank god I wrote all these songs, lord, to remind me of all the hurt and pain.” There is a good energy to this song, and it features some cool work on guitar as well as nice touches on keys. That’s followed by “Life On The Edge Of A Knife,” which was written by Jeff Wise. It’s a song about being a musician, told from that perspective. Interestingly, this one too mentions whiskey: “Well, I play my music for tips or for whiskey, sometimes I’ve played it for free.” Ron Houston delivers a heartfelt vocal performance. This track also contains some good work on keys and drums. He then changes gears with “Raise A Lotta Hell,” a fun number with a bluegrass flavor, featuring banjo and fiddle. I especially love that work on fiddle. A line that jumps out at me is “It’s been a nightmare living the American dream.” At one point he sings, “I ain’t ever been to prison,” so clearly he’s not taking the “outlaw” part of “Real Outlaw Americana Music” seriously enough. Anyway, I think most folks can appreciate this line: “I’ll take Waylon over pop country any fucking day.”

“The Rain” is a mellower number, though building in power at moments, and featuring another moving vocal performance. At this point, you might not be surprised to find that this song also mentions whiskey: “I found God at the bottom of a whiskey bottle/I knew right then that I’d done hit rock bottom.” The album then concludes with “Gun Sale At The Church,” a lively number written by Buddy Blue and originally recorded by The Beat Farmers. It has also been covered by John Surge And The Haymakers, who do a great job with it. Ron Houston is clearly having a good time with this one. I love the humor of this song, heard in lines like “And we’ll ask the lord to forgive us for all our sins/And we’ll look at the latest in gold-plated firing pins” and “Well, my two main men are Jesus and old John Birch.” There is a great history of John Birch Society being mentioned in music, such as songs done by John Denver and Bob Dylan. And then there was a long while when you didn’t hear John Birch Society mentioned much at all. It’s sad to say, but it is now quite fitting to mention the John Birch Society again, because it is alive and unwell in the guise of the Trump cult.

CD Track List

1. Whiskey Train
2. Lines On My Face
3. People Lookin’ The Other Way
4. Waiting On A Miracle
5. Blood On The Mountain
6. Drinkin’ Got The Best Of Me
7. Life On The Edge Of A Knife
8. Raise A Lotta Hell
9. The Rain
10. Gun Sale At The Church

Real Outlaw Americana Music is scheduled to be released on November 15, 2024.

Barrett Martin Group: “Stillpoint” (2021) CD Review

I was completely smitten with Barrett Martin Group’s 2020 release, Scattered Diamonds. It is such a great album. The next year, the members of Barrett Martin Group – Barrett Martin, Dave Carter and Lisette Garcia – all played on Joy Harjo’s I Pray For My Enemies, another outstanding release, co-produced by Barrett Martin. Also that year, the Barrett Martin Group released Stillpoint, yet another tremendous disc featuring all original material composed by Barrett Martin. The music on this one was composed while Barrett Martin lived in a house on a cliff overlooking the Strait of Juan de Fuca in Washington, and it reflects that location and his experiences there. Barrett Martin plays drums, upright bass, piano, vibraphone, marimba, steel drum, African drums, Brazilian drums, Cuban drums, mbira, kalimba, gamelans and gongs. David Carter is on trumpet. Lisette Garcia plays shakers, Brazilian surdo drum and gamelans.

The album opens with “The Roaring Sea,” which eases in. You can feel the waves crashing upon the rocks below, but the dramatic aspect of that action is subdued somewhat by perspective, by distance, and there is in fact a soothing feel to this music, an introspective element, as the sea can lead one inward even in its most powerful moments. Dave Carter adds to that sensation with his trumpet work. It also feels like there is a spiritual element to this piece, to the approach. Just before the track ends, it feels like it is turning a corner, leading us somewhere else, but perhaps it is up to us where that will be, after all. Then “Juan’s Strait Swing” begins with a good groove, taking us out of our own heads, and placing us on firmer ground, ready to reach out to others, to dance. There is something catchy about this piece, no question, and the trumpet work is seriously cool. The percussion opens doors, invites us through shimmering beaded curtains to a delicious realm where everyone is a bit cooler than usual. And aren’t we all happy to have access to this place?

I love the way the percussion is prominent right from the start of “Please Come Back, She Said To The Sun,” many feet moving in unison, dancing, creating a glorious pulse. The trumpet then ushers us to a higher realm, pushing us right through whatever barriers we’d constructed. That’s a wonderful and exciting and empowering moment. Things relax just a bit after that, the music like a breath, and another, until it begins to build in intensity again, and suddenly things open up into a wider and wilder terrain, bright lights dancing upon the air around us. A voice soon finds us, offering comfort, while that great rhythm continues. That’s followed by “The Elegance Of Wind,” which features another great groove, this one with a bit of a pop thing happening. The trumpet works as a voice, expressing an excited sort of joy, and wanting to share with us what it has discovered. We are on solid ground here, but looking up, reaching out.

Well, it’s football season, and when I saw the title of the fifth track, “Eagle Vs. Raven,” I couldn’t help but think, Philadelphia vs. Baltimore. Anyway, the drumming has this beautiful weight to it at the beginning, and there is a mysterious element, advising caution. It is not long before we are caught up in the dramatic movement of the track, in the excitement, while the drumming remains a constant line through it. I love the rhythm on this track. That is followed by “Waves Of Color.” When this one kicks in, there is a sort of mesmerizing feel to its rhythm. It washes over us and carries us with it, both inward and outward. At moments, we feel we might be breaking down into our various components, but we aren’t worried, for all those pieces will ride those same waves and are accessible should we need them at some point further along the journey.

“A Siren Calls” has a darker vibe at the start, seeming to come from a deep past, but is alluring. We reach out to it, rather than it coming to us. Before long, it touches something within us, and then suddenly it’s over, this track being less than two minutes. It’s followed by “Yellow Striped Spirit Snake.” This one moves around us, confident in its motions, fluid and somewhat frightening. It too comes from a point in the past, and has been involved in these motions for ages, and we are but in our youth in this realm. This one, like the previous track, is over quite soon, it too being less than two minutes long. Then there is excitement to “A Year On The Cliff,” and a glorious sense of possibilities as it begins, a world opening up before our eyes and ears. After a minute or so, it surprises us by settling into a delightful groove, swinging and popping. It is undeniably cool. The repeated theme seems to take on more force as the track approaches its conclusion. Then, just before it begins to fade out, it returns to that good groove.

As “Fierce Hawk” begins, there is a strong sense of being out in a natural world where people are secondary. The rhythm of the world itself, and of the other creatures on it, is key. But we are able to experience some of it through music. I especially love that moment when things get wild, thanks in large part to Dave Carter’s work on trumpet. Nature thrives and endures and moves and grows and pulses. Then “Pineapple Express” takes us on an interesting journey. I have said this before, but I love music that is able to transport me in some way, and the music on this album does that. I also love that each person’s journey will be somewhat different. This piece establishes a strong rhythm, and builds and breathes, and features good use of steel drum. That’s followed by “Dance Of The Seven Sisters.” I dig that bass work at the beginning of this track, and that great bass line remains at the track’s core while we explore other areas. It keeps us grounded, in a sense. There is a lot of delicious percussion work that will keep our bodies moving, even as there is a somber tone hovering above us.

“The Beauty In Darkness” invites us to an interesting dance as it starts, then soon adds a sense of mystery. Without that great groove, the music could be part of the soundtrack to a horror film at moments. There are other moments when something lighter occurs, changing our sense of where this piece is taking us. But the track does not strip itself of that mysterious element. “Rainshadow” takes us into darker areas too. There is a dramatic feel to this track, and I like that we are unsure where it might take us. The album concludes with “To The Sea We Return.” There is a somewhat somber and eerie feel to this one at the beginning. If we are returning to the sea, it feels like we are doing it alone, and in twilight, taking tentative steps, though perhaps without any real fear, but rather a sense of inevitability.

CD Track List

1. The Roaring Sea
2. Juan’s Strait Swing
3. Please Come Back, She Said To The Sun
4. The Elegance Of Wind
5. Eagle Vs. Raven
6. Waves Of Color
7. A Siren Calls
8. Yellow Striped Spirit Snake
9. A Year On The Cliff
10. Fierce Hawk
11. Pineapple Express
12. Dance Of The Seven Sisters
13. The Beauty In Darkness
14. Rainshadow
15. To The Sea We Return

Stillpoint was released on October 8, 2021 on Sunyata Records.

Diana Panton: “Soft Winds And Roses” (2024) CD Review

Vocalist Diana Panton’s new album, Soft Winds And Roses, is something a bit different from her previous release, 2022’s Blue, which completed a trilogy of albums dealing with different aspects of love. Not that love is not a topic here, but the songs on this album are from more recent years, many of them from the 1970s, songs in the pop and folk realms. Diana Panton delivers covers some of my favorite songwriters, including Leonard Cohen, Joni Mitchell and Gordon Lightfoot. Joining her on this release are Don Thompson on bass, piano and vibraphone; and Reg Schwager on guitar.

Diana Panton opens the album with a cover of Elton John’s “Your Song,” one of his most popular numbers, and the one he chose to open the Troubadour show in 1970 that got his U.S. career going. There is a sweet aspect to Diana Panton’s rendition, an innocence heard in her delivery, which works quite well. “Or a girl who makes potions in a traveling show/I know it’s not much, but it’s the best I can do/My gift is my song, and this one’s for you.” She is supported by some nice work on piano. That’s followed by “They Long To Be Close To You,” a song written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and recorded by The Carpenters. Their version was released in 1970, the same year that Elton John played his first show in the United States. Diana Panton’s rendition is beautiful, in large part because of her vocal approach. There is a delightful joy to her delivery, and a light and carefree feel to the track. This track features some wonderful stuff on vibraphone. I am also fond of the guitar work.

Diana Panton then chooses a song from the 1990s, “Secret Heart,” written by Ron Sexsmith and included on his 1995 self-titled album. Apparently this song was used in an episode of The X-Files in 2016.  I had no idea that show was still on in 2016. I thought it had ended in the late 1990s. But no matter. Diana Panton does a great job with the song, living fully within its world, as if it were her original composition. She then reaches back to an earlier number, “Sweet Happy Life,” a song that was recorded by Peggy Lee and Wanda de Sah, among others. Diana Panton gives us a rendition that is wonderfully and unabashedly cheerful, with a nice bossa nova sound to the guitar work. “My wish for you, sweet happy life/May all the days of the years that you live be laughing days.” Ah, with music like this, I think that wish will come true. Why not? “May all your sorrows be gone and your heart begin to sing/And if a wish can make it be/I wish you’d spend every day of your happy life with me.” Her delivery of that last line is particularly adorable, and a piano lead follows, while presumably the two people in question are dancing and enjoying their life together. This track also features a good lead on guitar.

There follows another song that addresses wishing, “A Wish (Valentine),” this one written by Fred Hersch and Norma Winstone. This rendition begins with some warm, thoughtful work on piano. It isn’t until a minute and a half into the track that Diana Panton comes in on vocals. “No hearts, no flowers at my door/No cards from someone I adore/And yet it seems you are the focus of my dreams/I only wish that I could be your Valentine.” On this one, her voice is supported by just piano. There is melancholy to this song. I think it might be in part because as she sings, “The year slips silently away,” my brain hears “years slip,” with so much time passing. This song was included on Fred Hersch and Norma Winstone’s 2003 album Songs & Lullabies. Diana Panton then takes us back to the 1970s with her rendition of “How Deep Is Your Love.” She offers a pretty rendition. These days the line “Because we’re living in a world of fools” stands out. Seriously, how can this election be so close? What is wrong with people? This track features a light and wonderful lead on piano.

The tone turns more somber with the guitar work of the beginning of her rendition of Gordon Lightfoot’s “Pussywillows, Cat-Tails,” a song that was included on Lightfoot’s 1968 album Did She Mention My Name? There is a timeless, almost magical quality to this rendition by Diana Panton, as she delivers a captivating, touching performance. That’s followed by a pretty, almost delicate rendition of “Here, There And Everywhere,” a song that comes from Revolver, one of the three best Beatles albums (along with the White Album and Abbey Road). This is such a great version of the song, and it features a really good lead on guitar. Then she gives us “You And I,” written by Normal Gimbel, Vinicius de Moraes and Carlos Lyra. There is a delicious bossa nova vibe to the guitar work, and a joy to Diana’s delivery. “Well, let them say just what they will/Of empty life, I’ve had my fill.” This track also features a delightful lead on piano.

Diana Panton then takes us back to 1970 again with her rendition of Don McLean’s “And I Love You So,” a song from his first album, Tapestry. At the beginning, she is supported by just guitar. “I guess they understand/How lonely life has been/But life began again/The day you took my hand.” It is after those lines that the piano and bass come in. This track features a gorgeous vocal performance. It is followed by “Until It’s Time For You To Go,” a song written by Buffy Sainte-Marie, and included on her 1965 record Many A Mile. Diana Panton delivers yet another pretty vocal performance, with warmth and affection. “And though I’ll never in my life see you again/Won’t you stay until it’s time for you to go.” This track also includes a moving lead on piano. Diana Panton then offers a wonderful rendition of “Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye,” written by the best songwriter of all time, Leonard Cohen. She delivers the first verse a cappella, and it is stunningly beautiful. It isn’t until she sings the title line that the piano comes in. And then the guitar comes in for a strong lead in an instrumental section in the middle. There is a slow fade-out at the end.

Diana Panton follows that with a song by another great songwriter, Randy Newman. “Snow” is a song that he wrote, but which was recorded by The Johnny Mann Singers, who included it on their 1966 album I’ll Remember You. The next year Harpers Bizarre included it on Anything Goes, and then Claudine Longet recorded it for her Love Is Blue album. Harry Nilsson also recorded it, and it was included as a bonus track on the expanded release of Nilsson Sings Newman. But I’m not sure Randy Newman himself ever recorded it. If anyone knows of a recording of him doing it, please let me know. Anyway, Diana Panton delivers a pretty rendition. It almost has the feel of a lullaby. “Gone, it’s all over and you’re gone/But the memory lives on/Although our dreams lie buried in the snow.” She then wraps up the album with one of my favorite songs, Joni Mitchell’s “Both Sides Now,” a song that often has me in tears. Usually it’s the lines “But now it’s just another show/You leave ‘em laughing when you go/And if you care, don’t let them know/Don’t give yourself away” that do it. Diana Panton delivers a beautiful, thoughtful rendition. The vibraphone lead in the middles comes as a surprise, but works. “To say I love you right out loud/Dreams and schemes and circus crowds/I’ve looked at life that way.” I’m going to continue to look at it that way, even if it’s all illusions.

CD Track List

1. Your Song
2. They Long To Be Close To You
3. Secret Heart
4. Sweet Happy Life
5. A Wish (Valentine)
6. How Deep Is Your Love
7. Pussywillows, Cat-Tails
8. Here, There And Everywhere
9. You And I
10. And I Love You So
11. Until It’s Time For You To Go
12. Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye
13. Snow
14. Both Sides Now

Soft Winds And Roses was released today, October 25, 2024.

Amy Speace: “The American Dream” (2024) CD Review

Amy Speace is a talented and respected singer and songwriter, based in Nashville. She’s been putting out consistently strong albums for more than two decades, and her songs have been covered by other artists, including Red Molly and Sid Selvedge. Her new album, The American Dream, features mostly original written material, written or co-written by Amy Speace, songs dealing with change, loss, and resilience, songs that contain strong and memorable lyrics. Joining her on this album are Doug Lancio on guitar, Joshua Britt on mandolin, Danny Mitchell on piano and organ, Lex Price on bass, Neilson Hubbard on drums and percussion, David Davidson on violin, David Angell on violin, Kristin Wilkinson on viola, and Carole Rabinowitz on cello.

The album opens with its title track. The American dream is something we still hear a lot about, often in relation to its supposed death these days. Yet the phrase still carries with it a certain amount of hope, as well as nostalgia, and at first it seems the latter perhaps drives this song, for in it Amy Speace sings of the past, taking us back to childhood in the 1970s, the time of President Carter and the bicentennial. Well, those were the interests and topics of the adults anyway. As for the kids, it was mainly about riding bicycles. “Hold on tight/Hold on tight to the American dream,” she sings. I love those lines, because the first “Hold on tight” refers to the handlebars, and so she draws a connection between the feeling we all had while riding our bikes and this idea of the American Dream, basically equating the dream with the freedom we felt on our bicycles. “Dreams are made to keep us moving/Try to find where we belong/In the end, can’t win for losing.” And so it turns out to be both nostalgia and hope driving the song. This one was written by Amy Speace and Pat Pattison.

“Homecoming Queen” also takes us back to our youth, to childhood friendships, to Little League games, to Judy Blume books. “I heard one night up on Tower Hill/She rounded third base with a college kid/Everybody wants to dance with the queen/And everybody wants the chance to be seen.” This one was written by Amy Speace and Rod Picott. Rod Picott recorded his own version of this song earlier this year, including it on his Starlight Tour album. It is interesting how the song takes us to the present, with what can be gleaned in those brief moments at high school reunions. “No matter how many years go by/She still looks like 1985.” That might be more about us than about her, how we choose to see her, how we might need something to remain from that time. That’s followed by “Where Did You Go.” There is a hopeful sound to this one as it begins, in part because of the work on mandolin. The lyrics, however, work in contrast to that feel, the opening lines mentioning physical representations of the end of a relationship: “Stopped wearing the ring/Pictures came down.” This track features some beautiful work on strings. There is a rousing power to this song, which the strings are a big part of. That power is heard particularly on the chorus, the repeated question, “Where did you go?” And check out these lines: “Waking up from the dream/Sometimes it felt so real/Playing hide and seek/With memories/Hoping they won’t find you.” This is a fantastic song. It was written by Amy Speace and Neilson Hubbard.

The CD case lists “Glad I’m Gone” as the next song, but actually it’s “In New York City.” This one begins with some arresting work on piano, drawing us in. The lyrics then draw for us a life that we see vividly, through some well-chosen, sharp details: “My bed against the window with bars to the street/Impatiently wanting my life to begin.” The line “I was 23 thinking I’d die alone” is striking, and she allows that line to sink in, including a brief pause before she continues. It is a life that is told partly through a series of different apartments, different living arrangements, all within that city. The city changes, and the person perhaps changes too. This one also contains some powerful work on strings. And holy moly, check out these lines: “But now I know what age does to memory/It softens the edges ‘til everything’s blurred/It fills in the gaps with regret and romance/Am I really that many years from that girl?” Wow. Then we get “Glad I’m Gone,” and it is some nice work on guitar that starts this one. Soon this track takes on a bit of a pop vibe. “Didn’t want to leave/I’m glad I’m gone/Why did I wait so long?” In this one, she also touches on changes: “They say people change/Oh, you just stayed the same.” There is something catchy about this song, and it contains some nice stuff on keys. “Glad I’m Gone” was written by Amy Speace and Gary Nicholson.

“This February Day” is the next song, not “Something ‘Bout A Town,” as listed on the CD case. It is a beautiful song, opening with some pretty work on guitar. Amy Speace delivers a moving and passionate vocal performance. There is a wonderful ache in her voice. “My heart is fragile like a cloud and cold to the bone.” And the strings play a prominent role in this song’s impact. “So I walk in silence, let myself cry/I am looking for an answer in the earth and the sky/And I’m reaching for a god I don’t believe in all the time/In my prayers.” That’s followed by “Something ‘Bout A Town,” which has a cool vibe from its start, with a bluesy edge. Amy is able to convey so much even with just that brief humming at the beginning. “Rolling slowly or moving fast/It’s the only thing that takes me all the way back.” This track contains some great stuff on keys. Then there is a gorgeous pain in her voice as she sings “Already Gone.” “There’s plenty of room in these half-empty drawers/I go to bed early, I am up before dawn/How can I love you when you’re already gone?” And as she describes her wedding, she sings, “For better or worse, I guess we were wrong.” This one was written by Amy Speace and Robby Hecht.

The holidays are coming, and “First United Methodist Day Care Christmas Show” describes a children’s Christmas performance at a church day care. There is love, and also plenty of humor here. Here is a taste of the lyrics: “There were goats, and one boy peed his pants/When Santa came out, they all jumped and danced/And the sign language to ‘Silent Night’/Well, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t even close to right/And my kid knew the words, well, most of them/But he sang with heart next to his best friend/And the standing ovation was well deserved at the end.” This will be a good addition to your holiday play list. That is followed by “I Break Things,” which also takes place in winter, the first lines mentioning snow: “Looking out the window, where the snow is falling under the street light.” The piano is the main instrument supporting her at the beginning, and that instrument is also mentioned in the lyrics, Amy singing about staying at the piano and trying to finish a song before the ground turns white. “It’s near the end of January, already the new year is feeling low/How much more can we take before the center loses faith and cannot hold?” It is interesting to me how many of these songs ask questions. We sometimes look for answers in music, in songs, and sometimes we find the answers are within the act of asking itself. This is another beautiful song, featuring a moving vocal performance and some wonderful work on strings. It was written by Amy Speace and Jon Vezner.

“Margot’s Wall” feels like memory as it begins, even before Amy Speace’s vocals come in, with that work on piano. “Little things that promised hope, they still remain on Margot’s wall” is a heart-rending line. And check out these lines: “The world is full of mysteries/We pin our hopes on a starry night/Nothing can be guaranteed/Not even the next morning light.” The song brings us up to the present, the old photos following her to her new home. “I put them up to give me hope/Like the ones on Margot’s wall.” The album concludes with its sole cover, “Love Is Gonna Come Again,” which was written by Jaimee Harris and Graham Weber. Jaimee Harris released it as a single in 2022, and included it on her 2023 album Boomerang Town. This song mentions an empty home, but its title carries with it hope and optimism. “I know it hurts like hell right now/And only you know how/No one can tell you when/Oh, but love is gonna come again.”

CD Track List

1. The American Dream
2. Homecoming Queen
3. Where Did You Go
4. In New York City
5. Glad I’m Gone
6. This February Day
7. Something ‘Bout A Town
8. Already Gone
9. First United Methodist Day Care Christmas Show
10. I Break Things
11. Margot’s Wall
12. Love Is Gonna Come Again

The American Dream was released on October 18, 2024 on Windbone Records.