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Track List Gone Away
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Steve Ripley Ripley (Audium) Oklahoma native Steve Ripley, the driving force behind the country-boogie-roots band, The Tractors, steps out on his own with his first solo effort titled Ripley. Along with mentors JJ Cale and Leon Russell, Steve is credited as being one of the architects of the Tulsa Sound, a spare but groove based style. He created the Red Dirt Records label back in the 70's, and his "rural yet hip" singer/songwriter approach to his music has given birth to the new "Red Dirt" movement and such contemporary performers such as Jimmy LaFave, Jason Boland & the Stragglers, Cross Canadian Ragweed, The Great Divide and The Red Dirt Rangers.
On Ripley, Steve offers
up a tasty gumbo of rhythm driven songs, and even the ones with
the sad lyrics will find your foot tapping. Recorded with
Telefunken tube microphones, vintage guitars and analog tape,
Steve's also created an atmosphere where the sounds are at once
both warm and familiar, yet at the same time are something new,
original and vibrant. There's a basic rootsiness throughout the
album as he boogies, shuffles and rocks through his songs, with
arrangements that vary from simple guitar-bass-piano to songs
with more complex layers of lap steel, organ, mandolin and
backing vocals. His gruff and ragged, yet soulful vocals only
add to the album's strengths and charm.
Ripley opens with a catchy
bluesy lament of a lost love. The character finds himself going
through a long list of cultural touchstones, naming things from
Elvis to drive-in movies and everything in-between,
that were once good things that are now as long gone as the love
he had, in "Gone Away." "Night Time Lover" has an infectious
laid back, funky groove beat. The outstanding "Too Many
Borderlines" looks at whether salvation is possible
after crossing too many of the lines that leaves one's life in
ruins. "Mr. Jingle Jangle" is an upbeat roots rocker about
falling in love, while "Sweetheart Town" is a bittersweet,
soulful lament of a woman's search for love.
Another real highlight is "Oklahoma
Blues," with it's roosty and loping rustic, but funky blues
groove. "Down Down (I Don't Believe You)" mixes roots rock with
soul on this tale of being left alone. The swampy "The Round &
Round" chugs along with an infectious rhythm line.
Steve saves perhaps the best for
last, a brilliant cover of The Carters' spiritual, "No
Depression (In Heaven)" on which he's backed by The Whites. He
takes this Depression era song and brings it up to date, making
the song's message as relevant today, as when it was first
written and performed. On the equally outstanding closer, the
Ripley penned "Crossing Over," on
which this time he's backed by The Jordanaires, Steve picks up
the message and carries it through to great effect,
though with a slightly more contemporary gospel/country/blues
arrangement on this gem.
Steve Ripley's brand of music defies
category, he's one of those rare individuals that makes his
music his way, from the heart and soul, uninterested in the
latest "trends." It's roots music- country, blues, boogie rock,
gospel and most of all it's one of a kind. A real breath of
fresh air in a world made up of bland sameness. Though he
explores somewhat different territory on the outstanding Ripley, that's
what has always set The Tractors apart from the pack, and
solo, Steve continues with that tradition of originality, mixing
intelligent lyrics while experimenting with all the different
sounds that fall within roots music, often with stunningly
brilliant results.
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Laurie
Joulie Take Country Back January 2003