Willy Gantrim was born in Wisconsin, raised in Houston, Texas and, after hitting the road for a few years, now lives in Brooklyn.
This debut album was recorded with a full band in Copenhagen.
His voice cracks like a sleepier version of Hank Williams making him sound both uptight and forlorn. After eleven tracks this begins to sound more whiny than just plain weary.
The songs follow familiar Delta blues structures in terms of both form and content.
In mood. the lazy, loose feel reminds me a little of The Basement Tapes and the influence of Dylan is strong throughout.
Gantrim is a snazzy slide guitar player and the swing of a honky tonk piano is never far away to add a boozy barroom flavour.
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The title track, Alone & Adrift finds him torn between angels and demons but you imagine him rolling over a going back to sleep rather than spending too long debating the pros and cons of each.
There's a similar resigned air in blues ballads like Trouble In Mind and Tomorrow Is Only A Dream.
These old timey songs all hint at a greater depth but, while expertly played, they shuffle along without packing much of an emotional punch.
Willy Gantrim's website
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