Bounty
Self-Released, 2019
8/10
A world traveling Buddhist Monk with a penchant for folk and country sounds, Bill Bloomer may have gotten a late start in the world of recorded music, but he’s making up for it quickly as Bounty is his 5th album in just over a decade.
“Doing Things Different” starts with Bloomer’s warm acoustic picking and deep vocals, as harmonicas complement the campfire-esque folk delivery, and “Earthly Sensations” follows with gravelly singing in the old time feel of the horn filled, retro fun.
Near the middle, “Lonely People” offers a sparse setting where percussion and female backing vocals are present, while “No Hay Otro” recruits plenty of rhythm into the cultured album highlight.
At the end, “Hog Leg Stew” taps into subtle R&B nods in the swampy blues setting, and “Anyway I Found You” strips the atmosphere bare with Bloomer’s rugged yet melodic vocals soaring amid strategic keys. “Thoroughbreds” ends the listen on one of the fullest tunes, as marching band style drumming and playful Americana punctuate the rich experience.
A previous rodeo star whose career was ended by an injury, though Bloomer only picked up a guitar at age 36, he delivers like a natural troubadour, and is backed up by violins, accordions, and pedal steel, among others, on this poetic and timeless collection of 11 original and compelling tunes.
Travels well with: Woody Guthrie- Dust Bowl Ballads; Bob Dylan- Bringing It All Back Home