What do Johnny, Billy's mum, Billy and Tucker all have in common in the opening throes of this album? The clue is in the album title as SHADOW LAND is a place where dark mysterious things happen and one where death and murder is in the air. We explicitly know what happened to Johnny in the opening track, but the demise of the other three is shrouded in more conjecture with a little bit of imagination leading to grisly conclusions. There is a singular streak of morbidity running through this album, the fourth release by East Nashville artist Ben de la Cour, and it is constructed with all the power and finesse of a first rate singer-songwriter.
This is an album straight from the folk-Americana playbook of lyric-laden tough revealing story based songs. It flexes its muscles in the style of Michael McDermott whilst weaving with the poetic grace of Danny Schmidt. On a casual dip in basis, the songs flourish with an air of strength and guile, but dive headlong first into the lyrical inner sanctum of Ben de la Cour and your mind is enriched in a haze of carefully crafted songs spinning tales from the other side of the tracks.
The pick from the first half a dozen songs off this twelve track release toys between the explicit story songs 'High Heels Down the Holler' and 'Amazing Grace (Slight Return)'. Both have twists to stretch the mind. On a tempo front, the former of the aforementioned duo possesses a kinda death march feel, while things slightly get more upbeat and rockier with 'In God We Trust...All Others Pay Cash' and the pivotal title track 'Shadow Land'.
In the album's second half, the death count increases to six with Joey taking is own life in 'Swan Dive' and the subject of 'Anderson's Small Ritual' finally succumbing to his ills in somewhat peculiar circumstances. This portion of the album houses the two most contrasting sonic templates. 'Basin Lounge', the album's only co-write, is pure rock 'n' roll as we are taken down New Orleans way with a visit to a less than salubrious dive bar. At the other end of the scale, the two tracks that close out the album - 'Harmless Indian Medicine Blues' and 'Valley of the Moon' - display a dour demeanour and attach a scratchy sound.
There was a glint of some positivity in a line in the opening track 'God's only Son' where de la Cour appeals 'I'm gonna claw my way back to heaven', but the only evidential moment of pure reflection is in 'From Now On'. What is evident throughout is a clever trait of blending in some simple yet effective chorus parts. This clearly demonstrates that we are in the presence of a seriously impressive songwriter.
From a wider sound perspective, the listener is treated to horns, mandolin, fiddle, guitars and assorted keys in the sound mix and together they create the perfect backdrop to a batch of sterling songs. Not surprising given de la Cour's background as a former Kerrville New Folk award recipient and his previous records such as 2018's HIGH COST OF LIVING.
SHADOW LAND is not going to deliver you a bundle of laughs, but when you are writing in this mode the reality is grim, dark and hard hitting. This is an album suitably crafted for the shaded patch of Americana music where the untold stories get narrated. Ben de la Cour is a master of this and has extracted every sinew of his vaunted talent to record an album terrifyingly dark and hugely rewarding.
This album did see the light of day in the US in 2020, but gets its official European release on 9th April 2021.