Todd Adelman
Western Soul
Vfib Records
Singer-songwriter, producer, and engineer Todd Adelman releases his latest album, Western Soul, a 14-track collection of songs exploring facets of The American Dream.
Originally from Colorado, Adelman built The Woods, a recording studio in the Catskills, and it’s there that Western Soul was recorded.
Speaking subjectively, entry points on Western Soul include “Out Of Gas,” a soft, country rocker reminiscent of early Eagles, only dipped in more twang and thicker country flavors. The song is simultaneously comforting and poignant.
The driving rhythm and gleaming guitars of “Kings Upon The Town” make this track a personal favorite. It sways and pushes, giving off a tasty, swaggering energy that’s seductive. Adelman’s drawling, almost dreamy vocals imbue the lyrics with tints of delighted, satisfied surprise.
“Can’t Sing The Blues No More” is a blues-laden song about a man not being able to sing the blues anymore — because a woman has changed his life for the better.
“When you came along, they went away / They were all I had at the end of a long, hard day / Guess I miss ‘em, but I’d miss you more / Ever since I met you mama, I can’t sing the blues no more.”
The intro of “Trying To Get Through Today” conjures up memories of Humble Pie’s “30 Days In The Hole,” with its warm-up harmonies. That’s the end of the similarities, as “Trying To Get Through Today” sets off on a bounding, booming tune blending country and rockabilly with Latin savors.
The front porch, hillbilly feel of “Wink And A Smile,” along with Adelman’s “Rocky Raccoon”-like phrasing and inflections, gives the song a deliciously languid sensation. While the Johnny Cash-like “Opposites Attract” is both simple and full of buoyant vibrancy, especially when the sparkling piano kicks in.
Chock-full of soul and spirit, Western Soul is unpretentious and a bit raw — two qualities that combine to make it an excellent album.
