Chris Murphy – The Red Road EP
This is the 21st release for the prolific L.A.-based violinist & songwriter Chris Murphy who decided to forgo the big arrangements & keep it simple with a solo violin & voice showcase on his 5-track EP The Red Road (Dropped July 5/Teahouse Records/20:29). These spare tunes were produced by New Jersey’s Ben Vaughn known for his independent music career (Alex Chilton/Los Strait Jackets).
Even with the slimmed-down musicianship, the songs have a special life force that can only be described as what you might find in the subway, on Eighth Avenue, in a mall — by any number of proficient musicians who take their talent to the streets & wow a crowd.
The set isn’t without its rock n’ roll orbit as “Worn Thin” cruises with a bluesy folky drive stung by a classical sound that takes the ears on a merry-go-round. Surprisingly, no matter how traditional some tunes may slide off Murphy’s strings & rosined bow the songs have atmosphere & a presence that many bigger productions often lack.
With “The Red Road,” the violin saws with authority, but Chris’ vocals take center stage & he comes off like a seasoned singer-songwriter. The excitement I felt was the same as the simple, yet obscure major label violin driven Boston based band Private Lightning’s work with Pam Van Ness who sparkled on their 1980 release “When Your Laughing” — her violin dominates the groove with her wall of sound & she matched the rockers note for note.
There’s no fiery showcase like Charlie Daniels on this EP, but Chris’ performance expertise & cleanliness will get toes tapping & hands clapping. Some tunes fall between the cracks of mainstream pristine & aren’t as compelling. Hey, you can’t hit the bulls-eye all the time.
Chris Murphy needs to add some better intonation & phrasing (& it’s possible) to his vocalizing to match the sharp curves his violin often takes. His vocal tonality is promising because he gets the tunes across with authority. It’s just that every song requires a different finesse. There’s a sameness to the songs when the range doesn’t change or radiate warmly between lyrics. A singer would be in danger of almost gliding into a monotone (“Tara McKinley”). Other than that, the first 3 tracks were fluid & entertaining. When will the album come?
Highlights – “Never Learned To Drive,” “Worn Thin” & “The Red Road.”
Color image courtesy of Eric Stoner. CD @ Bandcamp + https://chrismurphymusic.com/
Enjoy our previous coverage here: REVIEW: Chris Murphy “The Road And The Stars”
