Lyal Strickland – Shooter of Truth
This is Lyal Strickland’s first full album in 10 years & within that time he documented a fully lived life in song. It’s a personal set that led to a new kind of clarity. Nothing is embellished, decorated, since all the trials & tribulations are on the table. Face-up. Some would say it’s an LP that acted as a kind of musical therapy more than just mere entertainment. Oh, but why would an artist do that?
Basically, there are listeners who have also gone through these times. They don’t have the outlet Lyal has. Lyal provides a sanctuary in his music. An oasis. At least that’s my theory. There are 10 blessed shots in Shooter of Truth (Dropped Oct. 16/Shedding Dog/37:05) as produced by Adam Dawson with Lyal (vocals/guitar) & recorded in Springfield, MO.
Lyal takes his country-inflected music down a rare path. Gritty deep vocals filled with sincerity & rural sensibilities ride the breezy guitar notes that dart through “Shooter of Truth.” The material is more lesson-treated. It comes from a deeper well of creativity than play fast & loose. Many songs are sophisticated & wear sentimentality in their notes.
The Rachel Laven (“Birds”) duet may just be two people singing together. But actually, it’s performed in a manner closer to praying together. Lyal speeds up the tempo with “I’m Still Poor” & maintains through the lyrical ingenuity to keep the landscape cool, dark & distinguished. The band drives fast. It’s like being out in a field late at night, dark wind blowing in your hair, with only the light of the moon & billions of stars to find your feet. That’s the atmosphere.
Country-rock hoedown lights up.
“Homewrecker.” The band’s a tight unit & has that “I Got a Tiger By the Tail” rollicking Buck Owens speed. Lyal has an identifiable style on “Before It’s Gone.” It’s not pop-country but also not country-deep like Garth Brooks. It’s more of a George Strait offering as depicted in “Pure Country,” (“Heartland” – Parts 1 & 2).
These are for serious country-listeners. Not the cowboy wannabe, the Tony Lama boot wearing jade wearing & English leather smelling cowpoke. Instead, it’s for the calloused hands of the face that rises before the sun, sports scuffed shoes, thick socks, denim bundled-up flannel shirt worker who expels early morning air like fog. Shivers in his long johns & keeps going.
“Boosters” & “Gatherin’ Dust,” are diamonds. The finale “Hell Bent On a Heartache” is a nice closer. Welcome back, Lyal Strickland. Stay awhile this time.
Highlights – “Shooter of Truth,” “Birds,” “I’m Still Poor,” “Homewrecker,” “Before It’s Gone,” “Boosters,” “Gatherin’ Dust” & “Hell Bent On a Heartache.”
Musicians – Molly Healey (fiddle/cello), Joe Terry (organ/keyboards), Oran Thornton (electric guitar), Kyle Vance (bass), Nick Smith (drums) with Jeff Smith, Dillon Hasten & Damien Thousand (bgv) & Rachel Laven (vocals on “Birds”).
Color image courtesy of Jym Wilson. CD @ Apple & https://lyalstrickland.com/