Malcolm Holcombe
Album: Pitiful Blues
Label: Self Released
Tracks: 10
Website: http://www.malcolmholcombe.com

Here's another album of authentic, rugged, stripped-down Americana from a master observer of the human condition with a very distinctive voice and a gruffly uncompromising yet refreshing stance. The rationale for this, North Carolina-based Malcolm's tenth record, was long-time co-producer Jared Tyler's desire to enshrine the spirit of the "musician's demos" that Malcolm invariably made in his own backyard studio and sent to Jared prior to each album being further worked on - and so it turned out, a more intimate affair than previous records, but still with some ancillary musician enhancements from Jared and his four-man support crew. Malcolm's own personality can't help but dominate, and it sure is as compelling, close-up and handsome as ever, especially when recorded as simply as this (one basic mic).

All this allows Malcolm's special stories and deep thoughts to speak more directly to the listener, of course, and his growling, gargling, snarling delivery tears into one's consciousness in the nicest possible way - this aspect to some extent belying his essential humanity, so don't be put off! In this context, then, it's hard to say much more, as the converts will already be converted and those new to Malcolm's music could do no better than to start here for their best and most undistracted, unadulterated experience of his art.

David Kidman