Brian Ledford
Image: link
Truth and Love - Brian Ledford Album Review
Album Review
Cool country rock from North West America.
There are plenty of albums out there with 'grower' written all over them - this is one. Given time, you'll find all kinds of interesting bits.
Seattle's Brian Ledford is well known for his rugged country rock escapades, carved out of granite and chalk.
Ledford explains his evolution like this. "I've always listened to anything and everything and of course I was steeped in the Texas music and traditions I grew up with. But I never dreamed I would make this record. Something just happened. I turned a corner and these quieter, earthier songs started seeping out. I just went with it."
Lucky for him things have turned out well. Truth and Love is an excellent and sometimes heady brew of rough'n'ready rock (Judging From A Safe Distance) and country-tinged ballads (Borderline).
Ledford tells his stories with clarity and empathy, backed by a well drilled band that swing the moods with ease. Only a top band can do this so well.
Putting them through their paces he tilts his hat towards grizzly rock a la Neil Young (with Crazy Horse) on Stones At The Bottom Of The Sea, then he swings them into deep country with lashings of pedal steel courtesy Jon Hyde while duetting brilliantly with the dulcet tones of Zoe Muth of unsigned The Lost High Rollers.
Anywhere You Go is lightweight pop-rock with a whopping and infections chorus, crunching guitars and solos.
For this reviewer, Ledford is at his best on the slowies like laidback ballad The Plan, a simple acoustic-lead gem, rolling out fabulous heavenly backups. Sensible is sparse and dusty country, with fuzzy guitars ghosting, a perfect blend.
Sun Down is a dreamy and stylish end to a collection that confirms a man on top of his game.
The verdict - Class.
