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Americana, country, folk, singer-songwriter, Austin.

his is Austin, Texas-based Terry Klein’s 5th album with the 11 tracks produced by Thomm Jutz (acoustic/electric guitars/harmony) & recorded in Nashville, TN for Hill Country Folk Music (Dropped Nov 7/Independent/41:30). The songs are all well-written, & one touches upon suicide from the perspective of a surviving loved one. Then, Terry probes how, later in life, an attempt is made to maintain a degree of coolness, while coming to terms with mortality & the variety of folk music produced by many elite Central Texas artists. Challenging subjects.

From the opening tune “Try” with its laid-back vocals & catchy guitar weave will remind a listener of the simple vocal pleasantries of many clever songwriting troubadours. There’s the quality of the late Tim Hardin in “If You Go,” with its rich lyrical earthiness & poignant melody that Hardin consistently applied to his own repertoire. It’s here in Terry’s material. Terry (vocals/acoustic guitar) has a more appealing folky vocal than the late David Blue, who was a bit monotone & wordy. Terry mixes up his topics & narratives as inspired as Blue did over his brief career.

Aside from the David Blue impressions, Terry’s “sound” is rooted in a Tom Paxton, Biff Rose & David Ackles mix if you’re familiar with going back that far in folk history. There’s no novelty silliness in these compositions. With “My Next Birthday,” the folksiness falls away & a more country-styled seasoning is added with expertise. Pristine guitar picking with a spray of gentle fiddle keeps the tune above the surface of hokey country & tied to a firm country tradition.

Terry’s voice is always rustically sincere; he’s a good narrator & keeps it interesting throughout the song. It reminds me of what the late John Hartford used to sing. With a country-rock John Mellencamp rural approach is “The Job Interview Song,” which has its humor despite its serious implications. Integrating good instrumentation, the song establishes itself through its inspired delivery. Terry has the perfect voice for such a tale.

The tune “The Dirty Third” has a Waylon Jennings-type vocal finesse. The instrumental interplay is impressive. A Musconetcong River tributary is behind my house as I write this. So, hearing the song “Musconetcong River” was a surprise. And yes, it’s a good song. Terry manages, despite the comparisons to other artists, to maintain an admirable amount of originality in his music. Everything is nimble, cool & precise. It’s as it should be. He’s a good storyteller. Listen once, then “Try Again.”

Tracks:
01 - Try
02 - I Used to Be Cool
03 - If You Go
04 - Hopelessness Is Going Around
05 - My Next Birthday
06 - The Job Interview Song
07 - The Dirty Third
08 - Musconetcong River
09 - Yellow Butterfly
10 - A Quiet Place to Sit
11 - Try Again

Staat er compleet op, 10% pars mee gepost. Met zeer veel dank aan de originele poster. Laat af en toe eens weten wat je van het album vindt. Altijd leuk, de mening van anderen. Oh ja, MP3 doe ik niet aan.