Jesus, Red Wine & Patsy Cline
Rock Ridge, 2020
8/10
Listen to Jesus, Red Wine & Patsy Cline
A Southern California singer-songwriter who channels the spirit of legends like Patsy Cline and Emmylou Harris, Victoria Bailey might be a youngster, but she delivers like a seasoned vet on these timeless country tunes where gospel and blues also enter the equation.
“Honky Tonk Woman” starts the listen with Bailey’s strong, soaring pipes on a classic country tune dripping with twangy melody, and “The Beginning” follows with a smooth, warm Americana setting where Bailey’s pipes sound wise beyond her years.
Elsewhere, “Homegrown Roots” shuffles playfully with a danceable spirit that’s instantly memorable, while “Tennessee”, the lone cover, is indebted to old school country flavor with sublime musicianship that pays tribute to Johnny Cash with much beauty.
“Skid Row” and “Travelin’ Kind” bookend the listen, where the former bounces playfully with piano amid upbeat, rootsy swagger, and the latter resides closer to balladry with aching pedal steel complementing Bailey’s sublime pipes.
Bailey’s got an all star cast of players on hand here, including Eric Roebuck (lead guitar), Ian Foreman (drums), Billy Mohler (bass), Phillip Glenn (fiddle, mandolin), Elijah Peters (Harmonica), and Elizabeth Chavez/Cole Syverson (strings), and together they help illuminate the songstresses sharp, eloquent and relatable song craft that anyone with an ear for the early days of country will be enamored with.
Travels well with: Mary Bragg- Violets As Camouflage; Meghan Hayes- Seen Enough Leavers