Fred’s Blue Chair Blues
Mukthiland, 2020
8/10
Listen to Fred’s Blue Chair Blues
A veteran singer-songwriter, musician and producer, Fred Hostetler strips the scene bare here, and offers us 8 originals and 1 cover recorded in his living room, unplugged, unfiltered and unedited.
“Bright Lights Big City” starts the listen with Hostetler’s warm, melodic acoustic guitar as his expressive, soulful pipes guide the bluesy climate, and “Hey Corporate Vandals” follows with swift strumming as vivid storytelling unfolds with a timeless spirit.
Residing near the middle, “Rain On My Window Pane” flows with a poetic quality, where intricate playing and eloquent singing meet at a very memorable place, while “Taming The Wolf” adds spoken word and playful chord progressions amid the soft delivery. “I’m A New Man”, one of the album’s best, then glides quickly with glorious guitar work and Hostetler’s wise pipes sounding like an old friend you haven’t seen in too long.
Close to the end, “There I Go Again” is a universally enjoyable folk song that’s played precisely and delivered sublimely, and “Salt Tears” exits the listen with a sweet and upbeat finish that you can’t help but smile to.
Hostetler has played the supporting role on albums in every decade from the ‘60s on, and in 2017 he released his first solo effort, Heart Radio. This live album truly illustrates the breadth of his talent in an intimate setting, and will certainly strike a chord with any fan of acoustic music.
Travels well with: Pete Thelen- Best For Last; Jeff Fetterman- Southern Son