- Label: 'Sugar Hill Records'
- Genre: 'Alt/Country'
- Release Date: '7th June 2011'- Catalogue No: 'SUD-CD-4068'
Our Rating:
"I'm so lonesome, I could die". Haven't I heard that somewhere before?
Nick 13 is not the first, nor the last, to make this complaint but, then again, this album isn't intended to break new ground.
The smooth-voiced singer with a love of twang has echoes of Roy Orbison and Chris Isaak but his first love is the Bakersfield sound of artists like Buck Owens and Merle Haggard.
This is the first solo album from the founder-member of Tiger Army, a heavily tattooed Californian three-piece that have built up a strong following over the past 14 years.
Nick-13 decided to take time out to go back to the country roots of his punky psychobilly band and the results are spectacular.
The eleven original tunes include two reworked songs from Tiger Army's 2001 album Power of Moonlite - Cupid's Victim and In The Orchard.
The themes of travel, longing and loneliness are familiar but he approaches them with such a freshness that it's a pleasure to follow him down the same lost highway.
It helps hugely that he's assembled some fine backing musicians. Co-producer and multi-instrumental Greg Leisz plays on the single All Alone and In The Orchard.
Lloyd Green, who played on The Byrds' Sweetheart Of The Rodeo, weighs in with some slick pedal steel guitar on three tracks. There's also great work from Nickel Creek fiddler, Sara Watkins.
It all gels so smoothly that it's hard to pick out highlights although my own favourites are 101, a great tune to drive to, and the fine opening track, Nashville Winter.
I doubt that many country music purists will bother to seek out Nick 13's psychobilly albums but it's a record that should open the ears of Tiger Army fans to the true roots of the band's sound.
