CHRIS SHARP REVIEWS

Review Mississippi Chris Sharp’s

Artist: Kim Robins CD: Leave The Porch Light On Label: Pinecastle Artist Website: www.kimrobins.com Label Website: www.pinecastlemusic.com

I’m not sure what I expected from this Kim Robins CD, Leave the Porch Light On. I met Kim several years ago at IBMA in Nashville in one of those dozen-people-go-in-for-a-large-suite adventures I was a part of that can be fraught with peril. Well, it had its moments but no peril. We had a big time sharing lots of music.

There’s some powerfully good songwriting here, including two with credit for Robins, of which two may be my favorites on the CD. Five of the songs on this CD feature Robins’ guests Kyle Estep and Clay Hess on lead vocals, with Robins lending harmonies. She assembled a great band, with me very much enjoying the guitar work of Hess and Estep and the great fiddling of Tim Crouch.

Robins has a clear vocal delivery, moving from power to finesse with ease, as it suits her. My favorite songs are Bourbon and Beer, Leave the Porch Light On, Seven Devils Ridge, Hurricane (picked by the label as the lead single), the country ballad I’m Not to Blame, with its midchorus salute to Hank Wiliams, and I Won’t Have a Prayer.

Bourbon and Beer is my favorite of all. It is a dark, dark song about a man’s battle with alcohol and the effects on those who love him, a poignant telling of a sad story with which many will identify. The line “...cause when a man loves liquor, the liquor always wins...” is dark and as good a line as a songwriter can hope for. I’m not to Blame is a heart-render.

The song’s protagonist is hurt, heart hurt, and expresses her pain, making us hurt along with her. Kim delivers her pain. Salute, Kim Robins.

Releasing a CD with other artists covering the lead vocals on five of the thirteen songs makes me wonder who was thinking what. Robins was perfectly capable of doing the entire CD. This is not billed as a various artists CD, though it does admit to “and Special Guests.” The “Special Guests” did a fine job, worthy of their CD, I think, but I feel sort of short-changed. Robins doing seven songs out of thirteen is 53.8%, Kim Robins. I reckon I was expecting a hundred percent.

That is not to say there is anything unlikeable on Leave The Porch Light On. I enjoyed every song, the band, the recording, and Robins’ clear, emotive voice.

I want to hear more.

CD: The Next Mountain Artist: Rick Faris Label: Darkshadow Recording Artist Website: rickfaris.com Label Website: darkshadowrecording.com

Rick Faris and Dark Shadow Recording have brought us a capital B Bluegrass CD with the release of The Next Mountain: tastefully recorded, easy on the ears, toe-tapping, just thumping. From the first listen, I was hooked. Faris’s stellar vocals combined with an all-star group of musicians really bring it home. Besides the vocals, Faris is not unfamiliar to good guitar work. This is a very enjoyable CD.

Once again, Stephen Mougin and Dark Shadow Recording give us great talent, original music, and flawless recordings to enjoy. I am thankful to all the musicians who bring us original music in the tradition we love. Producing this music and packaging it in a manner that is very pleasing is an important part of the entire process. Salute to all involved with The Next Mountain. There are just too many stellar musicians to mention here, and they all bring home the bacon. Everything is in the pocket, and even the fast songs (“Moonshine Song”) are unrushed. This is how it should sound. My favorite songs are: “What I’ve Learned,” “Laurel of The Mountains,” “I’m Asking You Today,” “Hoot Owl Call,” “Tall Fall,” “See You on The Other Side,” “Can’t Build a Bridge to Glory,” “Dust On The Royal,” and “Moonshine Song.” I could add some more, but one has to stop somewhere. Nothing disappoints. Everything satisfies. If I picked a most favorite, it would be “I’m Asking You Today,” which just swings all the way through.

Having this CD in your regular rotation will bring smiles to your face. The sad part will be the day you reach for the CD cover only to fail to find the CD inside, finding it instead on the floorboard of the truck, covered with mud and boot-prints. This ever happened to you? Well, it has me. I’d hate to mislay this one.

Salute to Rick Faris for bringing us new, original music that expands the frontier of Bluegrass in the most satisfying way. It broadens horizons within the context that is Bluegrass music. This is easy when contemplated, but rather difficult when executed, because having your own sound can only develop within the context of new music. Faris has figured this out. I salute him. When you add Laura Orshaw, Ronnie and Rob McCoury, Jason Carter, Mike Bub, Sam Bush, and Ronnie Bowman, you’re gonna get some good results. I also particularly want to mention the bass playing of Zak McLamb and the mandolin playing of Harry Clark.

I appreciate what I have here with The Next Mountain. I sure want some more.