Michelle Malone – Southern Comfort
Of course, my intro to Ms. Malone’s work was when she performed & recorded with the Atlanta, GA band Drag The River in 1990. Instinctively, I believed she would have a career. A new crop of female singer-songwriters – not Grace Slick, Janis Joplin, Stevie Nicks, or Tracy Nelson but someone steering clear of punk, new wave & traditional country.
Michelle has had a 3-decade-long career & though her name may not be as housebroken as Emmylou Harris or Dolly Parton she does entice name artists to share a place in her repertoire which comes on Southern Comfort (Drops Oct 4/SBS Records/41:38) produced by Michelle (lead vocals/acoustic & electric guitars/Mando/harmonica) with Paul Warner (lap steel/cello/keys/guitars/bgv).
The LP offers 11 tunes that are vivid tales that splash around in blues, folk, country-soul & roadhouse R&R with a sense of place & honesty. The jangling guitars that open “Southern Comfort,” have an interplay not unlike Keith Richards & Ron Wood (The Rolling Stones). While this may not be a Stones-type tune it certainly has that flavor as the guitars knot up expressively with their aggressive notes & Michelle’s countrified, eased-in vocals.
Ms. Malone takes a few liberties & sings a few songs that lean into an easy listening/cocktail lounge recipe. She succeeds on “I Choke On My Words,” which features Randall Bramblett & Buddy Miller. It’s a mature sound. While particular songs aren’t steeped in heavy-duty chances the undecorated, effective “Simple Life” serves the same purpose as Joni Mitchell’s “Circle Game.”
Whereas “Easter Sunday,” & “Wine & Regret” are serious ballads sung with expertise. Not exactly all rootsy tunes but it’s their unlikely treasures with immaculately crafted instrumentation. Some songs have a more standard compositional flavor, but the coda “Wine & Regret” has a gentle harmonica & searing guitar solo – quite a conclusion.
However, “Undercover Mother” does go more juke joint/saloon & confirms that Michelle has lost none of her Bonnie Raitt sawdust & whiskey strutting musical circuitry, followed by a nostalgic melody that could be applied to virtually any era. “I Want To Be In That Picture” is a song where a child looks at a picture of their parents before they come along. The lyrics are superb with good poignant narration.
Highlights – “Southern Comfort,” “I Choke On My Words,” “Simple Life,” “Easter Sunday,” “Believe,” “Undercover Mother,” “I Want To Be In That Picture,” “One Track Mind” & “Wine & Regret.”
Musicians – Doug Kees (electric/acoustic guitars), Tom Ryan (bass), Mike Rizzi (drums/bgv), Trish Land (percussion), Nelson Nolen (mandolin/bgv) & Joey Huffman (piano/B3) with Buddy Miller (guitar on “Choke”), Randall Bramblett (Wurlitzer on “Choke”), Will Kimbrough (slide guitar), Jeff Spirko (fiddle), Rick Richards (slide guitar), Charlie Starr (guitar), Paul Jackson, Eliot Bronson, Trina Meade, Brian Bisky & Kala Warner (bgv).
Portrait image by Jolie Loren Photography. CD @ Amazon & https://www.michellemalone.com/home
Enjoy our previous coverage here: Interview: Michelle Malone Goes Unplugged in Vol. 1 of Fan Favorites
