Running by the Rock kicks it off with a tale of a mysterious murder and in I’m Barely There, the lyrics twist and turn toward a chorus, that is funnily enough, barely a chorus, but an instrumental; smokey, dusty, and light. Fisherman’s Farewell is one of my favourites, with a twang to the vocals and magnificent harmonies by Alison Ferrier. The rhythm gets heavier on Towards Love; plenty of fuzz through the guitar, but his voice retains sweetness. This is a great road trip album. You could leave in the morning with your tail between your legs, and arrive at your destination, with clarity of mind and a few problems solved.
Lang doesn’t stick to song-length templates. Towards Love is just over seven minutes, and his ripper Newbridge itself could get you a good 20 kilometres down the road. Way Past Midnight finishes things nicely with quiet but tribal hand drums supporting the twang of the slide guitar. I can understand why John Butler has said, “seeing Jeff Lang was like being at church for three hours.” His music gets inside you, and as the final song fades, I feel rested and blessed.
BY MICKY RENNIE
Best Track: Towards Love
If You Like These, You’ll Like This: NEIL YOUNG, GEOFF ACHISON, MARK SEYMOUR, STEVE MILLER BAND
In A Word: Redemption
