Tell The Truth & Shame The Devil
Welding Rod, 2019
9/10
Listen to Tell The Truth & Shame The Devil
The impetus for Rod Picott’s 12th album was, unfortunately, a serious health scare that could have left the longtime guitarist and singer-songwriter in dire trouble. Thankfully, the Nashville resident is in good health now, although back surgery coincided with his health issues, further giving Picott a new perspective on his art.
“Ghost” gets the listen started off with comforting acoustic strumming and Picott’s vocals that are both warm and rugged, and “Baililng” follows with a folk spirit running through the organic beauty that’s reflective and lacking all pretense.
Further along, “Mark” has Picott delivering poignant storytelling about a young man who took his own life, while “Too Much Rain” offers a hint of gospel with harmonica in the haunting, folk-ish tune.
The second half of the listen flows with the blue collar spirited picking of “A Beautiful Light”, with births much intimacy and grace, the authentic “80 John Wallace” and the raw “Sunday Best”, where Picott finds himself emitting a sage like delivery. “Folds Of Your Dress” ends the album with his imperfectly perfect vocals and subtly powerful execution that defines the entire listen.
Recorded in his home, alone and with no engineer, this is as raw as it gets, as Picott’s captures the human experience stripped back to its basic form, with just his poetic songs, guitar and harmonica- which, really, is all he needs. Though he may not be the most well known troubadour, Picott is certainly one of the best of this generation, and deserves to be have his name spoken alongside Springsteen and Dylan.
Travels well with: Elliott Smith- Either/Or; Justin Townes Earle-The Saint Of Lost Causes