When Colter Wall released his self-titled debut album 3+ years ago, it was like a breath of fresh real country air. For those who didn’t already know who the then 21-year-old with a 2-pack a day voice was, it was a welcomed, pleasant surprise. For those who were already privy to the Saskatchewan native thanks to his Imaginary Appalachia EP, it eliminated any doubt that this kid was the real deal. His 2018 release Songs of the Plains was further proof of his talent and now he’s back to bring us the nostalgic sounds of western music again with Western Swing & Waltzes and Other Punchy Songs, available today via La Honda Records/Thirty Tigers.
If one were to describe Mr. Wall with one word, authentic comes to mind. There is nothing fake, overproduced, auto-tuned (sacrilege!) about him. And to drive that fact home even more, Western Swing & Waltzes and Other Punchy Songs is his most authentic release to date; the 24-year-old wrote half of the tracks and produced the album, taking his third LP by the reins and driving it in the direction that he envisioned.
From the opening note of “Western Swing & Waltzes” which kicks off the album, you’re once again instantly transported back to the days of the west; like a soundtrack to a period film, you can visualize the land, smell the dust and horses, hear the glasses at the bar in a saloon (Robert Stilwell’s tintype press photographs of Wall also adds to the vintage atmosphere).
Wall’s baritone shows a bit more of a range now, but still has that quality that is unique yet familiar, bearing a maturity behind his mere quarter-century existence on this Earth that stirs up the visions of an old soul with plenty of lifelong tales to tell. In “Talkin’ Prairie Boy,” Wall’s voice carries the spoken-word original track along with simple guitar picking in what sounds like a one-take live-to-tape recording. “Henry and Sam” showcases that well-worn baritone, while “Rocky Mountain Rangers” brings an upbeat, toe-tapping rhythm.
Much like his previous releases, the covers that Wall includes are pulled from the traditional vein (“I Ride An Old Paint/Leavin’ Cheyenne” and “Diamond Joe”) or other classics: Marty Robbins’ “Big Iron,” Stan Jones’ “Cowpoke” and fellow Saskatchewan native Lewis Martin Pederson III’s “High and Mighty.” His choices as to which songs to cover says a lot to how much pride and honor he has towards the craft and history of not only western music, but storytelling-songwriting in general as well.
An aesthetic that pops up throughout Wall’s recordings is this wonderfully gritty, somewhat tinny sound that brings to mind an old Victrola; it adds age, depth and warmth to each song. This along with his voice, guitar pickin’ and amazing band – Patrick Lyons (pedal steel, dobro, mandolin), Jake Groves (harmonica), Jason Simpson (bass), Aaron Goodrich (drums) along with Emily Gimble (piano) and Doug Moreland (fiddle) – marries together to create not just amazing music, but an entirely wonderful experience.
Western Swing & Waltzes and Other Punchy Songs is available today here.
For more information on Colter Wall, visit his website www.colterwall.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
Western Swing & Waltzes and Other Punchy Songs Track listing:
1. Western Swing & Waltzes (Colter Wall)
2. I Ride An Old Paint/Leavin’ Cheyenne (Traditional)
3. Big Iron (Marty Robbins)
4. Henry and Sam (Colter Wall)
5. Diamond Joe (Traditional)
6. High and Mighty (Lewis Martin Pederson III)
7. Talkin’ Prairie Boy (Colter Wall)
8. Cowpoke (Stan Jones)
9. Rocky Mountain Rangers (Colter Wall)
10. Houlihans at the Holiday Inn (Colter Wall)