Joshua Singleton – The Promised Land
This is Asheville, North Carolina’s Joshua Singleton’s third album & the expressive singer-songwriter continues to blend his Americana, roots rock, blues, country & soul mix into something consistently unique. With a voice that navigates bare-knuckle melodies with skill, Joshua applies his authoritative vocal to some highly melodic tunes. “Heart With An Arrow Tattoo” & “Still Yours” are both quite good, with their tight arrangements, clever lyric pictures & the late Mark Germino’s (“Fields of Man’s New Order”) stylistic approach.
The 12-cut excursion into The Promised Land (Dropped Nov. 15/Independent/38:42) was dutifully produced by Joshua (vocals/acoustic guitar/bgv), David Duncan (organ/piano/electric guitar) & Thom McHugh & recorded in studios in Mississippi, Alabama & Tennessee.
Despite having all the bells & whistles, gears & bearings of country in his virtuosic repertoire, Joshua crafts his compositions with words that are descriptive, with cohesive nuances (“What We Made”). He has mainstream appeal but doesn’t fall victim to saccharine commercialization. Some songs have a clichéd verse that sticks in the average listener’s ear (“She’s On Fire”). That’s why, for some, there’s a skip button. Nonetheless, Joshua does a fine job, but you’ll know when he’s “cooking” with fire. As he does on the soulful “Wish I Was Lying.”
There are a few gimmicks that make the songs more attractive. Each tune is perfectly suited to Mr. Singleton’s chosen facility. He’s neither a commercial songwriter, a true country troubadour, nor a pop singer with a cowboy hat. He’ll see-saw between the Germino seriousness & a Bryan Adams raw rock with a dash of Johnny Cakes & Old Crow whiskey. “Southern Child” has the necessary exuberance & grit that could’ve been an Allman Brothers fiery hit. Evident in Joshua’s version as well.
Pop sensibilities enter the musical foray when Joshua unleashes the soul-satisfying country-pop nugget “Kiss Me Back.” Great radio-ready tune. If I were a singer without writing talent, I’d be mining Joshua’s motherlode. Like the deep veins of Ray Kennedy, writer of “Sail On, Sailor” by The Beach Boys, Larry Weiss, writer of “Rhinestone Cowboy,” Tom Jans (“Loving Arms”), Tim Moore (“Second Avenue”) & Townes van Zandt (“Pancho & Lefty”).
What Joshua possesses is variety & that’s important in songwriting. I don’t wholeheartedly believe his voice is as distinctive as Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, or John Prine, but he has the right pen & his voice is perfectly suited to the compositions he creates & signifies.
Highlights – “Heart With An Arrow Tattoo,” “Still Yours,” “What We Made,” “Southern Child,” “Kiss Me Back,” “The Promised Land,” & “Wish I Was Lying.”
Musicians – William Coats (drums), Andy Dixon (bass), Al Gamble (organ/piano), Trevor McKay (electric guitar), Dustin Nunley (mandolin/banjo), Clara, Elisa, & Jonathan Singleton, Bree Doster, Nadine & Justin Dudley (bgv).
Color image courtesy of Joshua’s Website photo gallery. CD @ Amazon & Apple + https://joshuasingletonmusic.com/ https://www.hemifran.com/news/detail/n/2158/Joshua%20Singleton/The%20Promised%20Land/
