Clay DuBose – Father Time & Mother Nature
This music opens with a catchy tune, assembled as a somewhat modern country rock number. The lyrics at times teeter on cliches & things heard before, but…but…the focus should then turn toward Clay DuBose’s skillful effort. He’s entertaining, his vocal approach is prominent, a staid side of Eddie Rabbitt (“Drivin’ My Life Away”), B. J. Thomas before he went pop commercial & with a bit of Billy Joe Royal (“Down In the Boondocks”). Yeah, you heard right. Royal had that broad country brush scrawled across his songs. Clay is similar. Variety is evident. There’s a sparkle.
During “Winning Streak,” the 2nd cut on Father Time & Mother Nature (Dropped June 12/Lazy River Records/45:27), Clay’s voice holds the cards. There’s a flirting with style here that’s clear. It rears its head also in the title tune “Father Time & Mother Nature.” Wonderful piece. Pensive, strong, with instrumental interplay skewered with vitality. It’s soulful for a country-oriented tune.
The Texas-based artist chooses trendy topics for his latest batch – love, loss, family, & the passage of time. But the 11 compositions were recorded in L.A. & produced by Ted Russell Kamp (bass/acoustic bass/tambourine/acoustic guitar/toy piano), so herein Clay packs a generous number of genres into his set. He blends rock, blues, & country. Despite his 4-octave range, the root voice initially seems fairly common. That is, until Clay (vocals/bgv) lets loose with some theatrics as he did on the title track. Almost as impressive as the late Turley Richards. Clay has a seasoned Americana voice, but it would be interesting to hear a bit more edge, if not in his tonality, in his lyrics & melodies.
Clay shouldn’t have to discover his repertoire reflects what’s already on the menu of many songwriters’ new LPs. Several tunes could be more challenging and add inventiveness. The introspective ballads are fine, the roots-driven rock’s entertaining & pushing the arrangements gives some songs a lift (“Waiting For the Day”).
Written by Kris Kristofferson & Danny Timms (piano/Hammond/Wurlitzer), “New Game Now” unfolds with luster. It’s persuasive. Nothing heavy-handed or overly dramatic. There’s a light touch of precision to the performance. Modest rockers arrive with “Fading Away” & “Growing Wild” where Clay’s vocals are in a different shade. More aggressive, steady & decorated with color in tonality. The backup drives the songs; the guitars soar; drums thunder. Here, Clay DuBose sounds like nobody else. He’s distinctively Clay DuBose. I knew that.
Highlights – “Winning Streak,” “Father Time & Mother Nature,” “New Game Now,” “Fading Away,” “Broken Mirror,” & “Growing Wild.”
Musicians – Brian Whelan (electric 12-string guitar/acoustic guitar/piano/bgv/Wurlitzer), Mitch Marine (drums/cabana/shaker), Jaime Douglas (drums/tambourine/percussion), Michael Clarke (drums), Dean Parks, & Neal Casal (electric & acoustic guitars), Carl Byron & Sasha Smith (Hammond organ), Janiva Magness (vocals), John Schreffler (pedal steel), Doug Pettibone (electric, baritone & slide guitars), Will Ray (guitar), & Eric Corne (harmonica).
Color image courtesy of Clay’s website gallery. CD @ https://claydubose.com/father-time-mother-nature/