Kim Richey
Wreck Your Wheels
Lojinx
Since coming to prominence with her debut single “Just My Luck” in 1995, Kim Richey has achieved success both as a solo artist and a go-to songwriter for some of Nashville’s best-known names.
But it’s on her own terms that she shines the brightest, and her sixth album, Wreck Your Wheels, is no exception to that rule. Marking a return to her Americana roots, it’s a diverse record packed with sublime melodies, affecting vocals, and a real organic vibe.
The title track sets an immediate standard with some breathless backing vocals from Matthew Ryan and a driving, steady beat. It’s a level of quality from which the rest of the album never wavers.
From the upbeat Tom Petty-esque “Leaving 49” to the slow-burning melody of “99 Floors” and the folk-pop of “In the Years to Come,” it’s clear on Wreck Your Wheels that Richey is an artist at the peak of her creative powers.
Further evidence of that is the beautiful standout track, “Careful How You Go,” which provides lyrical pointers to a dark winter’s evening in London – the place Richey now calls home – and which may be the best song she’s ever written.
The delicate closing track “Word to the Wise” is a fine way to end a highly-recommended album that revels in understated modesty and powerful subtlety.
Kim Richey: http://www.kimrichey.com
