Kim Strother - Flesh & Bone

Flesh & Bone is an intimate passage of songs. Each listens sinking them just a little deeper into our own feelings. There is a refreshing quality to hear good styles of music done really well and this album is exactly that. From start to finish, each song has a story to tell, hearts with earnest feelings channeled through skilled songwriting and talented musicians. It's amazing how gems like Flesh & Bone surface, sometimes gaining attention and other times sinking back into obscurity. I guess this is how life is, and all we can do is tell some one to read or listen. We have to keep in mind every person is beautiful and has their story to tell.

 

Kim Strother has penned, played guitar and vocalized all of these tracks with backing musicians, George Buechley on pedal steel guitar; Jacob Sunderlin on guitar, banjo, Roxy organ; Todd Rush on bass, synthesizer and James Morrow on mandolin, guitar. Twelve tracks pulling from the front porch and into our hearts. Baby Jesus is a few songs in, a drone like lullaby that has continued to repeat in thoughts well after the tape has stopped playing. Something about the fourth track, Lace Curtains is an imaging gem. The timbre of Kim's voice, his description of life and the pedal steel, swings this song in the dazzling shade. This is followed by When I Don't Love You Anymore, a little dig towards the Hank Williams style. Songs like "Funny Clown Song" evoking thoughts of the humor and styles of Leon Russell and John Hartford. The title track Flesh & Bone, like a lost Vic Chestnutt classic, the instruments and vocals fitting like magical puzzle pieces in an amazing assembly. As you can tell Kim Strother and friends cover styles and genres with pure simple ease. The second to last track, The El Reno is all vocals, poetry in song about a sad farewell. With the humor and emotion of everything preceding the last track, A Beautiful Life, this guitar and vocal ado brings a lump in the throat and watery eyes.

 

Self released by the Kim and friends, Jacob Sunderlin mixing and producing with Andrew Weathers mastering. This cassette is in a limited edition of eighty, copies are available from Kim Stother's bandcamp page.

 

I am still wondering who Veronica used to be?

 

Links

Kim Strother - bandcamp