Keep On Goin’
Self-Released, 2022
8/10
An artist with a wealth of experience both personally and professionally, Kimberly Morgan York illuminates her real life stories with care and warmth, where an all star cast of players including Scott Baxendale (guitar), David Barbe (bass, engineering), Carlton Owens (bass), Jay Gonzales (piano), Matt Stoessel (pedal steel) and Adam Poulin (violin) are present.
York starts the listen with the bright and Nashville-esque ideas of the soaring song craft, where her strong pipes are front and center, and “Three Chances” follows with a more lush climate that benefits much from aching pedal steel and mature keys to complement the rural beauty.
“Another Lover” lands in the middle and offers a poetic and gorgeous display of York’s timeless song craft, while “Numb” places more emphasis on the crisp drumming as much emotion enters the cautious album highlight.
“Ruby” arrives near the end, and is a more bare offering of sublime piano alongside York’s inimitable singing and eloquent storytelling, and “Sharing The Night Together” exits the listen with plenty of cozy textures that birth a very distinct version of Americana.
York plays guitar and sings on all the songs here, and with musicians from bands like Cracker, Drive-By Truckers and South San Gabriel in attendance, Keep On Goin’ makes for an album steeped in classic country nods as themes of heartache, perseverance, abuse, joy and love are explored intimately and memorably.
Travels well with: John DeNicola- She Said; Mariel Buckley- Driving In The Dark