Tuskhead One Step Forward and Two Steps Back
Tuskhead is songwriter musician Patrick van Zandwijk, who hails from the Netherlands and whose country- Americana style with touches of blues rock and grooves is dubbed Dutchicana. Tuskhead has a new 5-song EP One Step Forward and Two Steps Back just out, that hearkens back to the simpler days of country music.
The album opens with “Dutchicana,” a Western number with a touch of joyful dueting vocals and merriment and the consideration of question of what directions to head in: “They say that I ain’t country enough I should record some songs that sound more like that Morgan Wallen stuff / That old Americana that ain’t it /And the Dutchicana brand you’re playing ain’t gonna make a hit.” Next on “Home” the vibe slows down to a tone of more direct reflection “Take the road less traveled, I’m going home / Though home is not where I came from / Where I came from, there’s no way back ’cause I burned that bridge and fell of track.”
On “Out of My Mind,” we’re invited to consider the way things go round and round in relationship: “One step forward and two steps back / I’m telling her there ain’t nothing left / But she won’t hear me crying out damn loud / I’m digging my own grave again if we can’t turn this ship around.” It’s a true consideration of the complexities of humans when they share lives together. Ahis song highlights Tuskhead’s mastery of lowdown blues rock. Later at the end of the EP, this song is performed again in glorious extended version.
“Man You Are To Me” pays respectful homage to the male role model in our lives, “To me he’s always been a hero / There ain’t nothing he can’t do / He built his life through grit and grind and he don’t play to lose He taught me how to keep my head up / How to roll up my sleeves / I hope that someday I’ll be like the man you are to me.” Gently rolling pedal steel provide ambience with this easygoing song and the result is very touching. A respectable choice of cover is included: Tom Petty’s “Crawling Back to You.” It fits just right.
This EP is an easy listen, a showcase of country / folk/ bluesy quality style. A nice addition to any catalogue. More information is available here on his website: https://tuskhead.com
One Step Forward and Two Steps Back was produced and arranged by Jonathan Kelly & Frederick Kelly and Patrick van Zandwijk Recorded, mixed and mastered at Famous London Recording Studio in Knoxville, Tennessee Engineered and mixed by Jonathan Kelly & Frederick Kelly. It was mastered by Jonathan Kelly and released on Migrant Records.
Musicians on One Step Forward and Two Steps Back are TuskHead (Patrick van Zandwijk) on lead vocals, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, solo guitar, mandolin, percussion; Frederick Kelly on bass, percussion, brass, and backing vocals; Jonathan Kelly on drums, organ, piano, additional keys, additional guitars (“Out of My Mind” & “Dutchicana”), brass, percussion, and backing vocals; Lea Lomans on featured vocals (on “Dutchicana” and “Ain’t Country Enough”); Jesse Deledda on featured vocals (on “Dutchicana” and “Ain’t Country Enough”); Keenan Schuck on pedal steel (“Dutchicana” “Ain’t Country Enough”, “Man You Are To Me”); Fletcher Daniel on harmonica, percussion (“Out of My Mind”); backing vocals (“Crawling Back To You”).