![]() ![]() It’s hard, I imagine, to find one’s own voice within a form that is of indeterminable age, avoiding the trap of imitation. Phleps is an incredible talent, one of those guys who is able to make a record of songs that sound downright ancient, even though they’re his originals. What’s not to like? Kelly Joe Phelps taking American roots music and making it his own. And his voice – kind of like James Taylors’ voice as left at the bottom of an ashtray – pulled me in too, full of pathos and wounded beauty. ![]() I just love the songs – with the storytelling tragedies as found in early country and folk musics, plus with the visceral punch of blues. On the strength of a review, I picked up Phelps’ 1999 album, Shine Eyed Mister Zen which soon became one of my favourite albums of all time. But, I was looking for something contemporary that struck a balance between earthy grit, and delicate, pristine playing. I like dusty, crackly records too, of course. I wanted to hear something that brought out the textures which are hinted at in Robert Johnson and Skip James records. I was looking for roots music in the blues tradition which is older and more stripped down than the electrified, 12-bar blues I’d already heard. I first heard of Kelly Joe Phelps when living in England, and regularly reading MOJO magazine. The record was co-produced by Vancouver-based Steve Dawson, who knows a few things about roots music himself, being a fellow performer. Over a career that spanned four decades, Kelly Joe Phelps expanded the parameters of modern blues through his strong commitment to literary songs and his.Here’s a clip of understated master blues ‘n’ folk guitarist Kelly Joe Phelps with ‘Plumb Line’, a track off of his newest record, Tunesmith Retrofit, which was recorded right here in Vancouver, BC (where Phelps often plays live solo shows, especially at Capilano College where I last saw him…). It’s as thin as the edge of a razor, the road separating Heaven from Hell, sin from salvation, redemption from despair. The melodic voice of artists like which are sung by artists like Kelly Joe Phelps that makes Tunesmith Retrofit album a go-to-medicine for your different. It’s a lonely road to go down and like the old gospel says, you’ve got to walk it for yourself. Kelly Joe Phelps has been doing lot of soul searching since his last record, ‘Western Bell’ came out in 2009. Three years later, his journey has wound its way to a recording studio in Vancouver, and Kelly Joe has once again beaten a path to Steve Dawson’s door with a new batch of songs tucked into his satchel that reflect both the new insights gained along the journey as well as things that have been dropped by the wayside. Like the late Chris Whitley (to whom the banjo-driven 'Handful of Arrows' is dedicated), Kelly Joe Phelps initially built a following through the sharpness of his chops, but would rather be known for the strength of his songs. Together Phelps and the veteran producer embarked on a three day recording odyssey that marked their fourth collaboration since Dawson played slide on ‘Slingshot Professionals’, produced ‘Tunesmith Retrofit’ and released ‘Western Bell after it proved too daring for Rounder Records. Tunesmith Retrofit is probably a bit easier on the ear on first listen than usual, with some nice tunes. The result is ‘Brother Sinner and the Whale’, a record that may very well come to be recognized as the best of an already very impressive body of work. Since his debut album ‘Lead Me On’, came out in 1994, the Pacific Northwest based singer and songwriter has written and performed some of the most compelling slide guitar based music ever recorded. Though he spent his early years playing free jazz, he has never strayed too far from the roots music world that has become his passion. TUNESMITH RETROFIT (August 2006 / Rounder Records) Kelly Joe Phelps- vocals, guitar, banjo, melodica. “I’d spent all this time learning improvisational music, but I’d always had an attraction to folk based music forms. So, I was listening to a lot of Chet Atkins, Merle Travis and some of the newer people like Leo Kottke and John Fahey. My music is a reflection of all the music I loved and steeped myself in. There’s a space and openness in rural music that makes sense to me.” Playing a lap slide in a style that both evoked the sounds of the ancients and pointed towards new possibilities for the instrument, Kelly Joe’s music seemed to originate in another time as he sang with the voice of an old soul, weary with experience, yet excited with all of the prospects that life brings. ![]()
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