Jeff Talmadge gave up a law practice in Texas in 2003 since when he has released one album per year. "You give up some things to get where you are but you gain some things too", he says.
This sentiment is reiterated in song form through the line "I'm sad for what is missing but I'm glad for what I got" on the track It'll Sure Be Cold Tonight.
This song talks about a daughter in Kansas and a son he lost track of somewhere in Tennessee and has the feel of being autobiographical but most of the tracks seem to take their voice from other experiences.
The opening track (If It Wasn't For The Wind) is the only non-original, a cover of a song by David Olney.
Talmadge is at his best following the Texan storytelling tradition, notably on the title track about a Tupelo angel who dreams of being a star but ends up singing in a karaoke bar. With her hopes shattered, "her only choice was which way to be sad".
This is the first album Talmadge has made in Nashville and the slick production values of music city turn out to be a double-edged sword.
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On the one hand, the smooth sound suits his relaxed vocal style to a tee but, at the same time, the surface gloss takes all the Alt. out of Alt.Country.
Personally, there's only so much of the peaceful, easy feeling I can take before yearning for something unexpected, something with a rawer, more dynamic quality.
That said, the musicianship on this album is exceptional with notable contributions from Freddy Holm on dobro, Fats Kaplin on steel guitar and fiddle.
Another of the album's standout tracks, Molly, features mandolin playing and backing vocals from Tim O'Brien.
Jeff Talmidge is of the romantic journeyman school of fellow Texans like Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt, and fans of those artists will find much to admire in this warm-hearted album.
Jeff Talmadge's Official Website
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