Carry Me Back (Self-released, 2019)
Jeff Mamett
Reviewed by Robert Wooldridge
The bouncy western swing of "Jiggle In Her Wiggle" is driven by Tigar Bell on the fiddle while the moody Tex-Mex ballad "Dark Spanish Eyes" features Chris Tuttle on accordion. The ballad "Same Old Moon" ("The night moth's circling the phone booth light/I wish that I could fly/I dig for change and words to bridge the miles") sounds like it could have been a mainstream hit in the '80s for George Strait or John Anderson, while the narrative style of "Take It Slow" ("Grandpa liked to stroll/He would stop and smell the flowers") recalls Tom T. Hall. Other highlights are the bluesy "Spinning My Wheels" with a Waylon Jennings feel to it and the closing "An Outlaw's Song" ("Livin's just like dying/For an outlaw on the run") in the mode of Robert Earl Keen.
The backing is stellar throughout led most prominently by multi-instrumentalist/producer Wayne Addleman (pedal steel, slide guitar, resophonic guitar, lap steel, mandolin), a member of Trace Adkins' band. With strong performances, solid tunes and Mamett's effective monotone vocals, this is a fun listen.
CDs by Jeff Mamett
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