Claire Lynch Empty Pair of Shoes (Thrill Hill Records)
The old adage ‘less is more’ has never been more appropriate than it is applied to Claire Lynch’s long-awaited follow-up to 2016’s North By South. It’s been a long time coming and, at only 8 songs and 24+ minutes in length, I (somewhat foolishly) asked her, “Why so short”? This was, of course, before I played it for the first time. Her answer was an obvious one, given her esteemed, long-established reputation for excellence: “Honestly, I didn’t think any other songs I could offer from my own catalog were up to snuff and I didn’t want to put “fluff” out there…”
In truth, if there even was any fluff in her catalog, it would be worlds away from so much of what has been commonly accepted as “country” in our current times. As she adds in her liner notes, “Of the 15 albums I’ve recorded, this is the first in which I’ve written or co-written every cut.”
Claire Lynch was born an old soul – yet she possesses a voice so steeped in innocence, she will always be ‘a little girl’ to these ears. At the same time, her skilled songwriting reveals a seasoned professional possessed of a wealth of real- world life knowledge. Despite her decision to ‘break all the rules” and avoid the guidelines one often applies to the creation of an album, she simply went for it. So it’s an added treat to encounter some brilliant wordplay along the way – and that’s before the sweet vocals, fetching melodies and expert arrangements take you prisoner.
There’s an intriguing range of musicians helping out across these eight tracks – old friends and new friends, creating a bridge of sorts between her American heritage and her newfound Canadian home. Minus all politics, of course.
This co-write with Carl Jones, “Trouble’s Not Troubling Me,” features Adam Schier on acoustic guitar, Joe Phillips on bass, John Showman on fiddle and Darrin Schott on mandolin – names familiar to anyone who’s followed Lynch’s consistently tasteful musical path (members of her Claire Lynch Band North). The song is a study in man’s resilience despite constant exposure to nature disasters and ground-shaking tragedies. This one was penned after the impact of witnessing the severe flooding and devastation unleashed by Hurricane Harvey back in 2017. Most importantly, it’s the chemistry between Lynch’s honeyed, pure vocal and the instrumentation that surrounds her which entirely envelopes her – the fiddle, guitar and mandolin swirling and eddying around her, like the very river of which she sings. Positive thinking. Words to live by – rather than fall victim to them.
A co-write with bassist and award-winning bluegrass songwriter, Jon Weisberger, “One Mistake at a Time” adds well-known Toronto ‘mando-maestro,’ Andrew Collins, to the track, together with Schott (acoustic guitar), Phillips (bass) and fellow Claire Lynch Band North alumni, Shane Cook on fiddle. The lyric is clearly universal but the takeaway is pure fun. Phillips’ powerful basslines set the stage while Cook’s fiddle and Lynch’s seductive vocal wrap around each other with sway, swing and authentic charm.
Not a surprise that the title track stands so tall on this release. Extremely tall. “Empty Pair of Shoes” is pure Claire Lynch at her finest. The song surely benefits from the acoustic guitar of Jason Fowler while long-time bassist, Mark Schatz and Don Rooke’s vintage Kona (Hawaiian lap steel guitar) create something very special to her catalogue, while serving as a reminder as to why she’s so completely essential to her fans. This is one beautiful co-write with Cathy Fink and – packed with emotion from having lost a dear friend – it is one of the most stunning songs on this record.
Lynch’s very own “Suffer the Children” celebrates the honesty of children as contrasted against what is learned behaviour by adults. Its upbeat delivery is a rally cry to celebrate innocence and the collective backup harmonies work as one, with a tune that drills into your subconscious, refusing to let go. As noted, more teachy than preachy, Lynch is a product of her roots and her perspective on the world is beyond refreshing. Amazingly uplifting, this track is borders on being anthemic. The chemical reaction inherent in working with long-time friends pays real dividends: long-time friend and acoustic guitarist Jim Hurst returns to the Lynch fold, adding his usual highly creative acoustic guitar contributions and harmony vocals while Matthew Wingate brings mandolin and seamless harmonies. Missy Raines’ bass and Bryan McDowell’s fiddle bring together four beloved alumni of the Claire Lynch Band. Torontonian banjo master, Chris Quinn, shines in such company. Sit this track – proudly – beside some of the best of Woody Guthrie’s work.
Hurst (acoustic guitar and harmony vocals) and Raines (bass) join frequent Lynch collaborator Rob Ickes (Hawaiian guitar) for “Sugar Blues Tomorrow” – co-written with noted multi-instrumentalist/singer/songwriter Becky Buller. This is – for Lynch – another powerful swing vehicle with shades of Carolina Cotton, give or take any need to yodel. And, if this too-quick, 3-minute song sounds not at all like something Claire Lynch might have recorded…it’s exactly the reason she’s included it here. One pays for their pleasure, indeed.
Written many years ago with noted Nashville-based singer-songwriter Pamela Brown Hayes, “Way Back When You Loved Me,” is a gentle beauty with a slightly mournful ring in its recalling of great love lost. Once again, the harmony vocals of Hurst and Wingate offer sturdy support to Lynch’s semi-forlorn recollections while Bryan McDowell’s expert fiddle accompaniment adds a significant tug to the heartstrings. Raine’s soft touch on bass and the compassionate backing of acoustic guitar and mandolin helps to seal this deal….grafting itself into even the hardest of hearts.
Billed as ‘dangerous fun,” there’s a lot packed into “Blue Lights of Love,” co-written by Lynch and much-awarded, Tennessean songwriter, Dawn Kenney. Shane Cook’s fiddle is on fire, driving the swing in conjunction with Matthew Wingate’s best Django Reinhardt impersonation on archtop guitar. Adding Raines into the mix results in the musicianship glistening throughout. Equating eyes to police lights (Cook’s fiddle and Wingate’s guitar even emulate police sirens) help accentuate this composition’s ‘renegade’ status – but one can clearly hear Lynch having a ball with the material.
Comparably soft and lilting, “Season of Sleep” – another Carl Jones and Claire Lynch co-write, is driven by Jim Hurst’s fingerstyle guitar work, ably supported by Wingate’s mandolin and by – somewhat surprisingly, Nik Tjelios on organ. Somewhat bittersweet in tone, this has always been Lynch’s key strength: turning the melancholic into something altogether alluring, if not ravishing. A tome to the isolation and overwhelming sadness brought about by the pandemic, Lynch has transformed something negative into something much more palatable, if not entirely soothing and revitalizing.
Never forgetting that the tiny fireball behind this most recent collection of long-awaited material – a timely salve for our troubled times – is a three-time winner of the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Female Vocalist of the Year. Released as a notion of appreciation for her fans, let’s hope its impact will encourage Lynch to continue her rich heritage of releasing momentous music which has proven, over time, to be far more than a soothing balm for a generation (or two). These are shoes which, it seems, nobody else can fill with as much soulful eloquence or hopeful fervor.
Find more details here on Claire’s website: http://www.clairelynch.com
The album was produced by Claire Lynch with assistance from Nik Tjelios. It was recorded by Nik Tjelios at Casa Wroxton in Toronto and at The cottaGe, Guelph ON Canada and by Ben Surratt at Ben’s Place in Nashville. It was mixed by Nik Tjelios and mastered by Philip Shaw Bova.
Musicians on the album are Claire Lynch on lead, harmony and background vocals; Adam Schier on acoustic guitar; Darrin Schott on guitar and mandolin; Joe Phillips on bass; and John Showman on fiddle; Shane Cook on fiddle; Jason Fowler on acoustic guitar; Mark Schatz on bass; Don Rooke on Kona; Jim Hurst on acoustic guitar and harmony vocals; Matthew Wingate on mandolin, arch top guitar and harmony vocals; Missy Raines on bass; Chris Quinn on banjo; Bryan McDowell on fiddle; Rob Ickes on Hawaiian guitar; and Nik Tjelios on organ.