Good morning, Country Fans!
Quick note before we get into today's post. Thanks to the sinus infection taking me out of commission last week, I didn't get to announce the winner to the Marble CD. There were no comments on the post so no free CD going out to anyone. That's a shame because y'all are missing out on some great music! Takes only a moment to leave a comment. If you're unable to leave a comment, drop me a note in Twitter DM so I can fix any issues. ~Thank you!
Today, we're talking about another cool album. totally different from D.L. Marble's cd. This one is from 'newcomer' Kristian Montgomery and the Winterkill Band.
I say 'newcomer' because I've not seen anything from this guy before (though his YouTube channel goes back 8 months). I try to give back to artists who take time to reach out to me. They don't have to contact me, or any other reviewer out there. When they do reach out to us we know the artist has done their research. Kristian Montgomer took the time to find out whose hands he needed to get his music to. I'm glad he found me.
THE GRAVEL CHURCH is a unique collection of songs from a man who truly has lived a Haggard kind of life... right down to the jail time. I had a brief chat with Kristian via Twitter direct message yesterday and learned some pretty cool things about a man who seemingly has come from out of nowhere.
Born in Floriday, his father was a Danish immigrant and his mother the all-American girl. You'll here some of those influences in his muisc on this album. Like many artists, he grew up singing in church. He's also sang Celtic/Scandinavian music and was, at one point, even nominated for Best Male Vocalist at the Boston Music Awards while performing in a metal band! To say the least, his talents have a wide range.
In our conversation, Kristian told me some of his musical influences included 'Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Chuck Berry,
Chris Whitley, Roy Orbison, Larry Gatlin and Elvis Presley.' Peter Gabriel was the first concert he ever attended.
The Gravel Church very well could have been the 25'x25' yard he was allowed to breathe in every day for the six months he spent in jail. The Gravel Church could also be the road each of us walks every day, learning tough lessons with each step on life's path.
What began as a 5-track EP collaborated with producer Joe Clapp (ultrasound productions) has turned in to a full album of 16 songs written deep from his gut and soul. You hear the Gabriel influences in a lot of the tracks.
While I won't break down all sixteen tracks, there were a few highlights for me. One is Your New. A smooth 80s style that has you swaying along. She's No Cadillac has a hard-hitting John Cash feel that you just want to get up and hit the dance floor.
One of my favorite tunes on this album is Hjertebygger . Haunting. The perfect sound for the opening scene of a dark movie. The intro monologue grabs you, pulling you in like the skeletal hand from the grave. Maybe that's just the witch in me :). The Tracks has a Pink Floyd undertone that is unexpected yet fits the cohesiveness of this album beautifully. Finally, for some reason I can't define, Auld Lang Syne seems to fit the overall nostalgia of THE GRAVEL CHURCH.
I have no doubt this is a guy that could easily been a Highway Man. Every song on this album shows the true mastery of a songwriter who only has greater things in his future.
I'm tipping my hat:
You will find Kristian Montgomery and the Winterkill Band as well as purchase your album through the following Social Media locations:
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