While the music always comes first, it is difficult not to
take more than a passing interest in the artists who have contributed in some
part to the latest album from Korby Lenker. Many of the featured artists are known in the UK for their work and likely form a close-knit network in the confines of East Nashville where they are frequently based. THOUSAND SPRINGS may have surfaced
in the States a while back, but it is getting a renewal this side of the pond
in conjunction with a set of upcoming tour dates. This is the seventh album from
an artist best described as a mellow lo-fi folk singer bestowed with the
troubadour trait of filling the world with oodles of thoughtful words. Find
your space, block out the outside world, and the whispering tones of Korby Lenker will
refresh your faith in the far away song.
The album broke the rules of a studio origin and arose from
an impromptu wanderlust to roam the land filing inspiration from any put down
point. Obviously, background knowledge informs this, but add it to the
listening mix and you sink deeper into the spirit of the album. The
eventual production adds a fuller element that edges it away from just a raw
acoustic record. Each of the twelve tracks create a little ripple with perhaps two spreading a greater distance.
‘Book Nerd’ is a
buoyant ditty acting as the record’s marker post and weaving some iconic names
into an amusing piece. Authorship is another bow to Lenker’s creative arm and
the literature theme shines a light on the song’s curious character. The tune possesses shades of Slaid Cleaves’ ‘Hard
to Believe’, another great piece, so the association is a high compliment.
Pushing this track close is album opener ‘Northern
Lights’ sending you on a starry trip to Chicago in an ethereal haze.
Pretty quickly, the sound begins to evolve with fiddle and
mandolin taking hold by the time we get to the third track ‘Nothing Really Matters’, which presents
itself as a roots infused effort. The pacier ‘Last Man Standing’, a historical piece detailing ‘the leader of the
one Sioux nation’, injects a fierier sound into the proceedings, although it
does not alter the holistic feel of the album.
Caroline Spence’s vocals on ‘Uh Oh’ commence the name-check, which eventually extends to familiar
artists in Molly Tuttle, Amy Speace and Robbie Hecht getting co-write credits.
Chris ‘Critter’ Eldridge (Punch Brothers) and Anthony DaCosta are two of the players to visit our shores in various guises, while Angel Snow, Anna Tivel and Carrie Elkin add their vocals to different songs across the record.
‘Father to the Man’
is probably the track that anchors the second half of the record and is yet
another example of a catchy melody rising from a wealth of inspired lyrics.
Maybe in an act that brings Lenker back to his existential core, ‘Wherever You Are’ closes things out as a gorgeous single take solo effort. Almost implying, thanks to all those giving a
helping hand, but now it is time to go back to solitary folk singer status. As always seeking
inspiration from within their own bubble.
THOUSAND SPRINGS succeeds in balancing the tender and
delicate with the watchful and witty. It has the legs to give Korby Lenker
momentum in taking this strand of his art forward. This allows listeners to
explore its many crevices, while not losing sight that engaging hook lines play
a major part in securing attention. Learning more about this record via the
live shows is likely to be the perfect addendum, but not wholly essential to enjoying the album as it is more than capable of hoisting itself into listening spheres.
www.korbylenker.com