Jack Logan & Bob Kimbell
Woodshedding
Parasol
The album title hints at the casual and relaxed tone of these recordings, but there is little else to prepare you for the genuinely moving folk music of Jack Logan and Bob Kimbell. Opening with “Further South,” the pair comes across like The Band in an informal jam session, and their superb six-man strong backing band helps add a homely, laid-back feel to the songs.
From the brilliant “Host of the Party” to the lovely “Nothing But Sky,” Logan and Kimbell offer an impressive range of sounds and songs on here. Taking their cue from contemporary artists as diverse as Jim White, Califone and Alejandro Escovedo, Logan and Kimbell play acoustic Americana that’s highly contemporary without loosing sense of either its roots or its heritage. And if there are the occasional weak moments – “Legs And Brains” is reminiscent of some bad, slowed-down ZZ Top B-side – those are the exceptions and the odd ones out. Most of the time, this is an album of country music that treads that fine line between disarming wit and personal reflection, blending the light-hearted with profound and sincere introspection.
Parasol Records: http://www.parasol.com
