Truer Picture
Yep Roc, 2021
8/10
A singer and multi-instrumentalist who happens to be a member of the Grammy winning outfit Steep Canyon Rangers, this first solo album from Graham Sharp brings us songs all written and sung by him, and contributions from Seth Kauffman, Matt Smith and David Hartley help him flesh out stories written during and often about these pandemic times.
Sharp starts the listen with the raw folk sounds of “Truer Picture Of Me”, where Matt Smith’s pedal steel complements Seth Kauffman’s light drumming and Sharp’s deep vocals, and “Generation Blues” follows with a swift pace of playful and rhythmic blues ideas.
Entering the middle, “North Star” burns slow with a minimal quality amid a poetic approach, while “Bad Apple” recruits frisky harmonica from Sharp in the gritty Americana climate. “Deeper Family” then welcomes David Hartley on harmony vocals as the setting gets a bit dreamy with some charming bedroom pop nods.
Near the end, the bluegrass banjo picking of “Coming Back To Life” accents the retro-folk influence, and “Come Visit My Island” exits the listen with some country throwback as Sharp finishes the listen with a similar timelessness that he started it with.
Generally a very stripped back affair, Sharp’s intimacy won’t go unnoticed, as his work here parallels the greatness achieved with his full band, and largely resides in classic country and nostalgic folk territory that we will never tire of.
Travels well with: Fireside Collective- Elements; Steep Canyon Rangers- Out In The Open