That Grand Old Feeling
Thirty Tigers/Hickman Holler
10/10
Listen to The Grand Old Feeling
The West Virginia singer-songwriter and guitarist William Matheny breeds a version of Americana that’s steeped in Appalachian Storytelling, and he’s got Adam L. Meisterhans, Clint Sutton, Jeremy Batten, John R. Miller, Bud Carroll and J. Tom Hnatow in attendance for the 9 thoughtful songs.
The flowing melodies of the warm and poetic “Late Blooming Forever” opens the listen with Sutton’s fluid drumming complementing the eloquent singing, and “Every Way To Lose” follows with a hint of grit amid Batten’s keys and the driving country rock.
The title track lands in the middle, and offers rich and timeless Americana ideas, while “Heartless People” uses pedal steel strategically alongside the expressive singing and Miller’s agile bass playing.
“Christian Name” and “Stranger’s Voice” exit the listen, where the former is initially sparse before segueing into a crisp, rootsy rocker, and the latter is a bit more rugged, with thicker guitars populating the rock focused finish.
A listen that can often remind us of ‘70s heartland rock or heroes like Magnolia Electric Co. or Drive-By Truckers, each track here is flawless and superb Americana that will always be enjoyable and relevant.
Travels well with: John Fullbright- The Liar; Jarrod Dickenson- Big Talk