Working My Way Down
Blackwing, 2023
9/10
Veteran musicians who got their start as sidemen decades ago, Mike Stinson and Johnny Irion started writing songs in the mid ‘90s, and eventually added Andy Jones to the band. Tragically, Jones passed way, and the band went dormant for 25 years, but now the album they always wanted to make is here.
“The Bottle And Me” gets the listen off to an energetic start in a retro, country-rock sort of way that’s full warm guitar and gritty vocals, and “Working My Way Down” follows with a calmer spirit that’s got a bit of haze to its powerful delivery.
In the middle, “Cosmic Candy” swirls with firm moments as well as gentle bouts of rootsy rock nods, while the spirited harmonica of “Brand New Love Song” helps cultivate a breezy, timeless version of Americana that seems like it could have been penned in any decade since the ‘60s.
Further on, the nostalgic rock’n’roll flavor of “You Came A Long Way From St. Louis”, the album’s best, recruits a crisp and stylish flavor that’s even got some garage rock swagger, and “Stranger Here Myself” exits with a big some crunch amid the vivid storytelling and no lack of melody.
Several of the tunes here were penned by Jones, and the rest are split up between Stinson and Irion. They recorded these songs to analog tape on a tape machine that lived in Jackson Browne’s studio, and Stinson’s drumming and Irion’s guitar playing sure have aged splendidly.
Travels well with: Matt Hillyer- Glorieta; Jim Lauderdale- Hope