A Tale of Two – Renegade
This is a duo that certainly knows how to kick off an album. The title track from Renegade (Drops Oct 4/Independent/34:02) is a melodic romp of sharp instrumentation & depth & charm vocalizing. There have been many great male & female duos in the past & A Tale of Two continues the tradition with propulsive melodies & “By the Light of the Moon,” is latticed with an almost Everly Brothers quality. Each song in this collection comes off sounding inspired & dramatic.
Coupled with compelling Southern storytelling, a Tom Waits cover (“Gun Street Girl”), swampy blues & soul with a mix of Americana the eight John Estes-produced pieces are captured in the recording with finesse. The starring roles in this production feature the dynamic award-winning West Virginia vocals of Stephanie Adlington & the acoustic/electric guitar prowess & vocals of Massachusetts native Aaron Lessard.
What’s also intriguing about this duo’s work is that while it retains a few valuable ounces of folksiness it never penetrates as folk-oriented music. The vocals are just nourished in a more dramatic & polished manner. Maybe it’s the choice of words in their lyric or the arrangements they applied to each tune. Even the more meaningful compositions are never overwrought emotionally.
Their storytelling is well-conveyed. Instead of calling a song “The Ballad of Bonnie & Clyde,” they tag the tune “1934” add some stylish fiddle sawing & Stephanie lets loose with a peppery vocal outlining the tragic story of the criminal duo in an upbeat scenario right up to their demise. It was a far better reading than the 1968 hit by Georgie Fame called “The Ballad of Bonnie & Clyde,” which was a good song but rendered a little campy for an R&B artist.
Stephanie manages to maneuver her country-tinted vocal over several absorbing treatments of ballads & traditional-oriented originals (“Is It Me?”) & with that summons up a voice as rural & authentic as a Carter Family vocal. Never outlandish, she fabricates her power through her tonality & her expertise in accentuating the right lyric. The musicians support her every inch of the way with their punctuating tasteful notes.
This isn’t a long set, but it’s quite satisfying. Striking an original performance with “Devil Did the Deed (Not Me),” a folky-country indulgent tune that rearranged could’ve also been a blues. It reminds me a little of the late Melanie Safka’s “I Must Be The Devil,” which has the same qualities. Ms. Adlington & Mr. Lessard show some teeth on this fine showcase.
Highlights – “Renegade,” “The Canyon,” “By the Light of the Moon,” “1934,” “Is It Me?” “Devil Did the Deed (Not Me),” “Gun Street Girl” & “Once Upon a Summer’s Day.”
Musicians – John Estes (upright/electric bass/banjo/guitar/mandolin/organ), Billy Contreras & Elizabeth Estes (fiddles), Jamie Dick & Ross McReynolds (percussion).
Color image by Libby Danforth. CD @ https://www.taleoftwomusic.com/
