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Review: 'COMBS, JAMES'
'Falling Under Spells'   

-  Label: 'High Pine Steeple Recordings'
-  Genre: 'Alt/Country' -  Release Date: '27th May 2022'

Our Rating:
The fifth solo record by Great Willow’s James Combs is one of many albums that prove the age-old adage that necessity is the mother of invention,

It comprises eleven speed-written songs composed during lockdown and,despite the COVID enforced isolation, Combs was able to call upon friends to flesh out the Americana sound. These included producer John Would (Fiona Apple), guitarist Paul Lacques (I See Hawks In LA), singers April Mann and Kelly Atkins, drummer Matt Hergert, Wendy Kline (violin) and Joe Hellerstein (trumpet).

Poignant titles like Remember How We Used To Dance, Joy Is Allowed, Everybody Inside and Nowhere Fast need no explanation and the lyrics reflect the surreal experiences of living with the pandemic.

In Circle Days he sings “There’s only this there’s only here now”.

A West Coast optimism follows the hope that the global virus is only a temporary setback. The promise of “better days ahead” is the resilient belief that drives Cut And Run.

The richness of the arrangements is a sign that technology enables creativity to flourish even in dark times.

James Combs’ website
  author: Martin Raybould

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COMBS, JAMES - Falling Under Spells