Emmert released his debut album only last year, ‘Fool from the Foothills’, yet I note he has decided not to include any of those songs on this set. He says, “This album is a blend of both old and new songs. Most of them were meant for other albums or projects and have been swapped or backburnered. We recorded them a few years ago and the somewhat misfit collection of tunes made perfect for this type of raw and stripped-down field recording. Allowing me to play them the way I wrote them and avoid thinking too much about their arrangement or development. However, there are a few here I still intend to revisit someday.” Apparently, this was originally recorded in September 2023, but Dan took a break from releasing these albums between from late Summer 2022 until late 2024, which is why this is only appearing now.
As one has to come expect with the artists involved in this series, what we have here is a blend of folk, the storytelling soul of country, the raw emotion of the blues, and the high and lonesome sound of bluegrass. Somehow, Emmert has managed to imbue a modern feeling to this album, keeping the feel and cadence of the tradition yet bringing it up to date so it does not feel at all out of place. One can imagine lovers of modern country getting a lot out of this, as the blend of different traditional styles makes it feel very at home in that genre. There is a lightness and deftness of touch as he accompanies himself on acoustic guitar, and the cicadas are there to provide the harmony. It is fresh and interesting and yet another incredibly solid release in ‘The Magnolia Sessions’, which to my ears is one of the most consistent and important albums series out there.
Rating: 8/10
Links:
https://www.facebook.com/chrisemmertmusic/
https://anticorpmusic.com/