Jefferson Ross – Low Country Wedding
This is another ambitious Jefferson Ross album. All the songs were written, performed, recorded & mixed by Atlanta, Georgia’s Mr. Ross. A bit more commercial-mainstream, the countrified tunes as laid out are creatively endearing. Many of the themes he chooses to tackle are earthy & slightly eschewed from basic country fare by the majority of the ten-gallon hat types. Jefferson is a little more embedded in the straw-in-the-mouth, whiskey-in-the-jar type.
The opening tune, “Low Country Wedding,” is propulsive, while “Mississippi Rain” is pensive with some expressive playing. There’s no hokum, no silliness or twang. It’s country with a serious twist, but always with a pinch of rural decorative lineage. There are 13 invitations to the Low Country Wedding (Drops April 10/Independent/55:35). There are gentle asides into a more humorous tune, which is entertaining (“The Travis Style”) upbeat & energetic. But when Jefferson provides a tune like “Gideon” & “Red State Blues,” his skill becomes more formalized. He possesses a signature sound, his picking is precise, & has a diverse approach to his material with a friendly, determined voice that’s always durable, poetic, & competent.
Ross has a formidable voice & when applied to some of the more pop-savvy melodies (“United Nations”) with clever lyrics, he’s quite an engaging performer. There are playful songs with pop culture references & reminisce that make listening fun – “Stuck In a College Town” is creative country music. This is where Ross stretches his talent to tell a viable story that many can relate to. Couple that with the sweet spots in the verses that cruise through what made youth so memorable. I could hear the late Roger Miller or Ray Stevens songwriting tradition in this, but Jefferson owns this trip down memory lane.
Falling away from the typical country singing, Jefferson goes deep-voiced in “Money Road.” The lyrics are darker, still serene, & a bit lamentable. A sly mention of something mysterious & tragic being thrown from the Tallahassee Bridge — equal to Bobbie Gentry’s “Ode to Billie Joe,” is creepily revisited. The playing is urgent, melancholy, & grist for the old country myths & fables.
The tunes could use a little lift with all the exceptional instrumentation that’s fallen into place. But next time around, I’d like to hear Jefferson Ross try some “harmony & grits” in a few tunes because “Walking Around New Orleans” would’ve been so powerful with some spiritual muscle nudging the wonderful banjo notes & low bellowing. It really provided the color to Ross’ country-soul smoker. Jefferson’s albums are always reliable storybooks.
Color image courtesy of Jefferson’s Facebook gallery. CD @ https://www.jeffersonross.com/
Highlights – “Low Country Wedding,” “Mississippi Rain,” “Gideon,” “Red State Blues,” “United Nations,” “Stuck In a College Town,” “Money Road,” “Walking Around New Orleans,” & “Peaches & Tomatoes.”
Enjoy some of our previous coverage here: REVIEW: Jefferson Ross “Backstage Balladeer”