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On the couple of occasions I have come across Texan
performer Lincoln Durham in the past, he has been beset by difficulties out of
his control. Firstly, venue technical issues dogged his set in Birmingham
nearly eighteen months ago then twelve months later a red tape travel issue saw
his follow up UK tour cancelled. Yet having been captivated by his raw passion,
dedication and energetic approach to music, Lincoln Durham is an artist that
remains lodged in the good memory section of my mind. The good news from deep
in the heart of Texas is that Lincoln is in fine fettle as his sophomore album
EXODUS OF THE DEEMED UNRIGHTEOUS is about to get its formal UK release.
Lincoln takes his brand of roots rock literally as witnessed
during his live show and it’s reassuring to know that his pride and joy, the
cigar box guitar complete with broomstick handle, makes an appearance in the
track ‘Annie Departee’. In fact the
whole record is one of improvised experimentation as vintage Samsonite suitcase
guitar, piano with keys plucked from the inside and a vox box amplifier rubs shoulders
with conventional guitar, percussion, lap steel and harmonica. There is a distinct
blues feel to the sound and vocals of Lincoln albeit in a Texas dirt kind of
way with a roughness which adds to the exhilarating experience of rinsing your
soul with his music.
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| Photo by Stephen Schmitt |
From a UK perspective, there are some loose similarities
with fellow American Seasick Steve who has proved such a hit over here with mainstream
audiences, but Lincoln is a more versatile artist as exemplified in the
evocative album closer ‘Mama’. The
contrast of this moving finale is stark when compared to the preach-like riveting opening
‘Ballad of a Prodigal Son’ where all
of a sudden the almost soulful percussion backed vocals are subject to a burst
of electrified impulsion. This compulsive appetiser leads into a more
conventional roots rock number ‘Rise in
the River’ which you could envisage being lifted on one of the great
pioneering blues rock albums of the sixties.
Working closely with his wife
Alissa and a handful of other contributors, Lincoln continues to absorb the
listener with a mix of stripped down ballads such as ‘Keep on Allie’ and more powerful songs like ‘Sinner’ where Lincoln ramps up both the vocals and sound. In true
Texas tradition the banjo and fiddle make an appearance on ‘Exodus Waltz’ to reflect his upbringing,
although the overall sound has gravitated away from these roots. However the
ideals of his grounding have flavoured the rock exploration with a sense of
identity and provide a deep rooted anchor to give the record utmost merit.
‘Recorded using only the cheapest “instruments” and most
percussive household items we could find’ is an inspiring quote lifted from the
album sleeve and perfectly sums up the authenticity, creativity and DIY
approach to Lincoln’s work. It may be short on expense but it’s certainly rich
on impact. The record weighing in at just over half an hour won’t take up too
much of your initial time but addictive repeat plays will. The only issue with
EXODUS OF THE DEEMED UNRIGHTEOUS is that it falls short of experiencing Lincoln
Durham live. Hopefully in 2014 previous travel difficulties can be ironed out
and funds are sufficient to give us another visit to bring the raw power of this
album to life.
UK release date 13th January 2014
UK release date 13th January 2014