Ginger Wildheart, Ghost In The Tanglewood (Pledge Music)
It really is not unusual for artists to make a country album. For some it is quite a switch in artistic style and looking for a different style of music to play. The music industry has lost so much money making ability in the last ten years the artists have switched like moths to a light bulb from Lady Ga Ga to Kid Rock it can near always be seen as a fail. Many of the albums can be very good like Sheryl Crow's Feels Like Home. They can have all the ingredients but just not pull it off. As the music industry financially stumbles, country is one of the rare styles of music with a big following and decent sales.
The opener for me is classic Ginger and he does know how to write a great opener and it sets the tone of the album. The album was written and recorded during a dark time in his battle with depression. And as someone who suffers with it, I get it. This style of honesty is custom made for country music as it really is an early form of punk rock. Strip away the cowboy hat and spurs and most country people are very much like punks. Even look at the amount of female artists involved in the industry and in fact many lead it (Dolly Parton, Tammy Wynette, Patsy Cline, Loretta Lynn....) the style may not be for all but the first tune "The Daylight Hotel" will bring you in easy. A tale of his treatment for depression it is more in a pop style than anything else on the album but that all changes on track two 'Paying It Forward' all I can say here is a classic country leg slapping tune. Get ready to shout out a chorus to make the neighbors wanna join the party. Steal guitars riff away the start and continue throughout the album.
Do not expect the next track to change to much as country it says and it is 'Golden Tears' is another brilliant tune the vocals come over very much to the front here then the band build up. Country is seen as very much the south of America but in reality each area of America has its own sound as does the UK. Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland all have their own sound and feel now the north of England has theirs, this tune is all Geordie heart.
Classic country is seen with the cowboy hat and the bright loud clothes at times looking more of a fancy dress and in a way it is. As in reality the real country artists are nothing like that. That look associated with the genre only started as the very popular radio show "Live at the Grand Ole Opry" switched to TV from radio and artists had to stand out. Back then the big break was a few songs on TV then hit the road and much has not changed. So the next track really shows the negative side of live music. The glitz and glamour of music can be instantly negative off the stage when missing family 'Minus You' shows this and really makes you think. All good music should make you think.
A cover of a Steve Earle song 'My Old Friend The Blues' has to be here. Covers are fun but in the country realm you have to give it respect and Ginger does that with an A+. 'The Reaper' takes the tempo back up a notch and gets the foot tapping. Can you guess what it is about? Yes we all have no idea when and where we will go but we will. The idea of even talking about it for many is a no no so in song form it may well be at least for some the only way to think about it.
Ginger has been involved with country music before in helping to write some of the last Jason and the Scorchers album with writing credits on many of the tracks on Halcyon Times LP. He also has via his fan club releases delved into some fantastic country styled tunes (check out the The Pendine Incident, a fantastic bluegrass tune) so he certainly has some pedigree here and in last tune 'Don't Say Goodbye' you may well have a tear in the eye. Daddy is away again and lyric "id rather be deaf than hear you cry" is sung with respect and the dignity this music deserves. Many people take the piss out of this style of music without really getting it. What is really sad is country is real easy to get and very much inclusive for all. Many more alt music styles may make you work to get the music but country wears its heart on the sleeve. I think this tune if done in the typical rock style would just not work but it is ideal here.
As a fan of country music (can you tell) I love this album. For rock fans and Ginger fans in general they may well not take to it to fast but it is a grower. I recommend a good set of headphones and a comfy chair for this one as it sounds fantastic on a decent sound system. The production is spot on and sounds fantastic in 24bit. Ginger wanted to know how he did and all I can say he made a great country album. Job done.
8.5/10
Released via Pledge Music here on CD, LP and download.
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