Music City Joke
Self-Titled, 2021
9/10
A South Carolina native who sounds right at home in Nashville, where he now resides, Mac Leaphart’s brand of rugged and raw Americana also embraces folk, blues and country across these very well thought out 10 tracks.
“El Paso Kid” starts the listen with warm strings as Leaphart’s inviting vocals guide a country influenced form of Americana, and “The Same Thing” follows with aching pedal steel alongside a rustic quality to the flowing melodies that make an instant impression.
Halfway through, “Ballad Of Bob Yamaha Or A Simple Plea In C Major” emits sublime beauty as Leaphart turns to spoken word amid bluesy harmonica, while “Music City Joke” recruits strong drumming and a honky tonk spirit that will get your body moving. “That Train”, another exceptional tune, then shuffles swiftly with a rootsy flavor indebted in Leaphart’s timeless delivery that gets friendly with twang, too.
Near the exit, “Every Day” is a calm, emotive excursion into stirring song craft, and “Division Street” exits the listen with intricate picking as Leaphart’s poetic approach leaves us wanting more of his cautious art.
A musician who certainly sounds like he was raised in the south, even in a town with a wealth of talent like Nashville, Leaphart’s keen attention to detail and gritty yet tuneful rural sounds easily makes him stand out on this fantastic album.
Travels well with: Jeremiah Fraites- Piano Piano; Sadler Vaden- Anybody Out There?