Bruce Robison & Kelly Willis Our Year (released May 27)
RIYL: Charlie Robison, Dixie Chicks, Guy Clark, Hayes Carll
I hold both Bruce and Kelly in personal high regard. Kelly for her beautiful vocals, and Bruce for his tried and true songwriting chops (plus, he's from my favorite place in the world: Bandera, TX). And since I create a lot of music with my boyfriend, they've become musical role models that I happily look up to and yearn to learn from. With their release of Our Year, they retain a familiar place in my heart, with their comfortable brand of country that feels effortless, yet genuine. There's something to say about that kind of simplicity, and I don't believe it's easily achieved. I've spent about 2 weeks with this record now, and it's a definite go-to for any long amount of time spent in my car.
Now to mention the video above: this is a live studio performance of A Hanging On (Vern Gosdin tune) on Austin radio station, KOKE FM. Since this was done in late March, this video quite literally "kept me hanging on" until the release of the album. It's SO GOOD. And dare I say this is better than the recorded version of the song?? Maybe they'll record an easy, acoustic version sometime in the future. On the album, there's a flurry of strings that are a little too cheesy for me. The rawness of a live studio and an acoustic guitar bring a sort of "epic-ness" to their words, and adds weight to the meaning behind them. That's just me, though. It's my favorite song on the record, nonetheless.
The album starts off with Departing Louisiana. I really applaud them for bringing a little salt water to this record. This song transports me to the Rainbow Bridge. In Texas, you can start in one end of the state and hear a very distinct style of music, and then drive 800+ miles across it and hear something completely different. That kind of musical gumbo is what makes Texas music so special and unique. And the sound appropriately seeps into the next song, Motor City Man, drawing striking parallels, relatable to a southeast Texas refinery working man. You might recognize the song if you've followed Austin music since its golden age, as it was penned by the late Walter Hyatt.
The album moves right along with Lonely For You – another familiar sounding song that's just plain good. Then, Shake Yourself Loose, a ballad with a hint of Spanish guitar and soothing pedal steel, perfect for some slow two-stepping in a dimly lit room. That's followed by Kelly's take on Harper Valley PTA (written by Tom T. Hall). She brings her own maternal brand of sass to the song, originally made popular by Jeannie C. Riley. But Kelly has always had a way of making songs she covers, sparkling versions of the originals (evidence here). This is proven again as you skip on down and hear their stellar cover of The Statler Brothers' I'll Go To My Grave Loving You. The album finishes with a soothing and reassuring version of The Zombies' This Will Be Our Year. And damnit, I sure hope it is.
Listen to their entire album below, and if you like it, do the right thing and BUY IT! If you're like me, it will easily become a staple in your trusted rotation of albums.
