You Don’t Have To Like Them Both
Corazong

Eric Brace front man of the Alt-Country band, Last Train Home is joined by his friend, music journalist (The Tennessean) / singer-songwriter Peter Cooper to produce an album both rich in quality and typical of the innovative flare of East Nashville. Blending rich warm harmonic tones with a production that features all-time Nashville steel guitar great Lloyd Green, Brace and Cooper spin a finely woven tapestry of songs. Cooper who, only two years ago debuted with his ‘Mission Door’ album, on which he was decorated with acclaim from the likes of famed songwriters as Kris Kristofferson and Tom T. Hall, is someone I firmly believe in. Whether or not he makes the impact he deserves, since the music business like life isn’t always a level-playing field.

Pulling on songs from the likes of Kristofferson, Jim Lauderdale, Paul Kennerley, a song that only recently resurfaced on an Emmylou Harris Anthology (as a previously unissued track) and fellow East Nashville act, Todd Snider. The music is fresh, and with a bunch of fine pickers lending support, totally compelling. As for close vocal harmonies Karl Straub’s ‘Drinking from A Swimming Pool’ hits the spot, likewise, the boys cook up a potent brew on Cooper’s own ‘Denali, Not McKinley’. Aided by sterling steel guitar and mandolin and shuffling rhythm it has a fabulous Lyle Lovett-ish feel to it. On calling in Kenny Vaughn on electric lead guitar, ‘Lucky Bone’ possesses a rocking edge and a nice touch on keyboards and bass.

‘Her Bright Smile Haunts Me Still’ sashays along like a good many of those traditional treasures do, and with the usual high standard of musicianship that includes nice inflections of accordion, steel guitar and mandolin and aching lead vocals it, like with Kristofferson’s typical 1970s entry ‘Just The Other Side Of Nowhere’ and the painstaking ‘Yesterdays And Used To Be’s’ lend much to this recording. On rustling a pure old mountain feel, Brace’s own ‘I Know A Bird’ featuring claw-hammer banjo takes the listener on a journey akin to that of through their native Appalachian Hills. For lyrics of a difference Kevin Gordon’s ‘Down To The Well’ with such lines as ‘a red door on a green Cadillac / hide a wind blowing smoke through graveyard streets’ register the first time heard and stay firmly attached.
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www.corazongrecords.com
www.redbeetrecords.com