Jim Roll
Ready to Hang
Thursday Records/One Man Clapping
Jim Roll’s Ready to Hang moves from engaging Alt-Country to plaintive guitar folk without missing a beat. At its best, such as the catchy “Old Love” to the darker “The Fall,” Roll impresses you with the little touches he adds to the tunes. A good example is “Double Time,” which features something called a “Optigon Organ” that lends the track a sort of lo-fi percussion effect. Fiddles, mandolin, and “grunge accordion” add a fullness to the cuts not normally found on music on this sort.
The record really shines on the tracks that include Roll with his band, featuring Chris Casello on guitar and K.C Groves on harmony vocals. When they hit a groove, such as on “Old Love” or “This Time,” they can hold their own with any Alt.-whatever band out there. Let’s hope Jim Roll doesn’t leave us hanging too long for a follow-up. Thursday Records/One Man Clapping, 2032 North Racine, Chicago, IL 60614
