‘Depending on the Distance’ is the latest long player from Austin based singer songwriter JIMMY LAFAVE and is his first studio release for five years. Whilst he certainly is not the most prolific recording artist (this is his fourth long player in about twelve years), this has been worth the wait.
There are thirteen tracks on the album, which all fall within the country / country rock genre. Eight of the tracks are Jimmy’s own compositions, and there are five cover versions, all of which Jimmy manages to effectively make his own, as they complement his own tunes perfectly.
The album opens with ‘Clear Blue Sky’, a mid tempo country song with keys and acoustic guitar prominent. The lyrics are soulful and tender as befits such a love song and suit Jimmy’s sometimes world weary voice very effectively: - “Baby when I see you hey, my heart beats like a drum/ Left in the pouring rain/ You know I get this feeling in my soul, That I can’t explain."
Of the cover versions, three are Bob Dylan songs, the first being ‘Red River Shore’ released on ‘The Bootleg Series Vol 8 – Tell Tale Signs’, and Jimmy certainly does this one justice: -
“Some of us turn off the lights and we live, In the moonlight shooting by/ Some of us scare ourselves to death in the dark, To be where the angels fly/ Pretty maids all in a row lined up Outside my cabin door/ I've never wanted any of them wanting me, 'cept the girl from the red river shore.”
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As well as Bob Dylan, Jimmy shows his abilities by taking on a Bruce Springsteen song, ‘Land Of Hope And Dreams’. On this one Jimmy really rocks out: “Grab your ticket and your suitcase Thunder's rolling down the tracks/ You don't know where you're goin' But you know you won't be back/ Darlin' if you're weary, Lay your head upon my chest/ We'll take what we can carry, And we'll leave the rest.” This is a track that shows both the American Dream, and the flipside of the same coin, those who aren’t so successful: - “Well, this train carries saints and sinners, his train carries losers and winners/ This train carries whores and gamblers, This train carries lost souls.”
For me Jimmy works best on the country rock tracks such as ‘Talk to Me’, which rumbles along nicely with lyrics detailing a relationship breakdown: - “Hey, I’m so sorry baby, You know I didn’t even mean a thing/ How many times have we said these words? Again, again, again/ Hey, we can talk about, You know we can communicate/ You turn your back and walk away. Honey, it’s not too late.”
Overall, this is a really good album, and it’s great to see Jimmy Lafave back on CD after so long!
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