Providence
Self-Released, 2022
8/10
The originators of the Red Dirt sound, The Great Divide, return with their first album in 2 decades, and they pick up where they left off with relatable stories about the last 15 years of their lives, as well as what’s to come in the future.
“Wrong Is Overrated” starts the listen with a breezy version of Americana that benefits from agile drumming, warm keys and Mike McClure’s smooth pipes, and “I Can Breath Again” follows with aching pedal steel and a dreamy climate of poetic, bare beauty.
“Slippin’ Away” occupies the middle spot, and showcases bouncy bass lines and a bit of island flavor to the groovy spirit, while “Heaven Is High” embraces some gospel influence into the reflective, rootsy ideas.
Closer to the end, the thumping country rock moments of “Until We Cross” helps make this one of the album’s best with its gritty versus melodic formula, and “Infinite Line” exits with a bit of ruggedness entering a thicker appeal that’s quite timeless.
The Great Divide achieved a bit of fame in the early 2000’s, but dealt with a tumultuous break up. Now older, wiser and more certain of what they want out of life, this is indeed a triumphant return and with more to come, hopefully.
Travels well with: Jeremy Nail- Behind The Headlights; The Lied To’s- The Worst Kind Of New