Neon Cross
New West, 2020
8/10
A veteran singer-songwriter who has gone through just about everything possible in the music industry, Jaime Wyatt’s first album on the New West label runs her honky tonk formula through a very diverse filter where honest, sometimes dramatic, song craft unfolds with much precision.
“Sweet Mess” starts the listen with elegant keys from Wyatt as her robust vocals soar with both rawness and beauty on the ballad, and the title track follows wth a galloping country spirit as gritty melodies highlight the rockin’ Americana template.
Elsewhere, “By Your Side” flows with plenty of emotion amid the cautious, pedal steel friendly delivery, while “Just A Woman”, with Jessi Colter, recruits warm acoustic guitar as Colter’s backing vocals add much to the aching, rustic approach. “Mercy”, one of the album highlight, then sits firmly in pensive territory, with a rootsy quality that’s immediately alluring.
Near the end, Shooter Jennings, who produced the record, makes an appearance on “Hurt So Bad”, which embodies plenty of rock’n’roll spirit, and “Demon Tied To A Chair In My Brain” exits the listen with strategic fiddle from Aubrey Richmond on the soft and agile finish.
Wyatt’s been battling demons her whole life, and much of that is evident on the forthright wordplay here, as she tweaks her outlaw country with pop moments and plenty of lush, layered song craft that’s as powerful as it is liberating for a songstress who is clearly coming out on the winning side of her struggles.
Travels well with: Ted Russell Kamp- Walkin’ Shoes; Lilly Hiatt- Walking Proof