| Ripley - Steve Ripley | |
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Reviewed by Kathy Coleman
While Steve Ripley has been largely known for his raucous boogie-woogie sounds with his
group The Tractors, his solo presentation, "Ripley: vocal with instrumental accompaniment," is
an album of deeply gritty, rich and often mellow country-blues.
This sharply performed solo album has a little something for everyone who likes real roots
music played with style. Ripley has demonstrated amply that he's no slouch as a performer and
a producer in the past; with this solo release, he shows this is no fluke.
Armed with his trusty 1954 Martin D-28 guitar, Ripley sat down and taped this session with pure
emotion and heart. He uses old technology to bring us this real sound, and mourns the loss of
such beauty with his opening track, "Gone Away," where he whispers, "'57 Chevy Cadillac
coups, Howdy Doody and Hula Hoops, Hank and Frank and Elvis and Buddy, And Andy and
Barney and Laurel and Hardy, gone away... all gone away." It's mournful, it's sweet, it's real
and it's gritty. It's a terrific opener for an album of superior songs which show that even as one
embraces what is new how important it is to remember what has passed before.
Steve's guitar playing is as superior as his songwriting; his talent as a producer melds his rough
voice and his magnificent guitar work with his backup musicians, including some backup vocals
by the Jordanaires and The Whites, Glen Mitchell on piano and organ, Jim Bates on bass, and
Fats Kaplan on mandolin amongst others. It's as elegant as it is pure and gritty, roots music as it
should be played by someone who can really play.
There are some great tracks on this disc, and all of it is top-notch. Ripley's created a gem here
that's too good to miss. Steve may be right that so many great things have "gone away," but at
least he's still here, and as long as we have artists as good as he is, we can keep more of them
right here.
Song List:
Album cover, used with permission of Audium.
Soundclips courtesy of Barnes & Noble
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