Read Black Dogs & Waltzes review of Thom Chacon’s new album “Blood In The USA below. For the Italian language version of the review click here.
Born in Durango, Colorado, it already has great appeal, with its appeal to the west, to the border and, of course, to Bob Dylan (“Romance in Durango”, also sung by our De Andrè). But Thom Chacon does not need particular suggestions to make his music, he would stand up well even if it were a more anonymous city. Thom is good and had already demonstrated in 2013, with the excellent, self-titled debut album. Since then five years have passed and finally a new record comes to light, which had been in the drawer for some time. Our Appaloosa gives him the right space and “Blood In The Usa”, despite the brevity, only 27 minutes, (you could do something more, but patience), it is even higher than the debut. It is for a very precise quality: the songs have a more “mood”, an acoustic, intimist base, which is the red thread for the stories of workers, immigrants, farmers, that our “Dylan of Durango”, as it is called, shoves with beautiful intensity. The wrinkled, important voice, an acoustic guitar, some border echoes (the splendid “I Am An Immigrant”), a lot of dust, the bass by Tony Garnier (the master of ceremonies of Bob Dylan since 1989!), The warm wind of a Hammond and very little else. The difference here is the songs, really beautiful, pieces in which Thom firmly believes, that has grown and perfected over the years, and that in their folk plot are not afraid of anything or anyone: jewelry like “Easy Heart” , the aforementioned “Immigrant” or “A Bottle, Two Guitars And a Suitcase”, are there to explain it to us. And perhaps, this record also explains that it is not necessary to lengthen the soup with useless pieces when you have such good pieces available. To listen and listen again, reading the Italian translations contained in the booklet. All very nice.
Luca Mazzocchi | Blackwaltzesblogspot.com
