It may be closing
in on forty years since Jason Ringenberg broke the seal on a charge to music
fame, but fans, folks and insiders still lend an ear to the issuing of new material.
That time is now upon us as STAND TALL signals the end of a major hiatus of
solo recordings (bar the Farmer Jason output) and a lengthy period since a
Scorchers name appeared on an album. Of course, the live presence of Jason and
the Scorchers and the solo shows of Jason Ringenberg flicker on and off the
horizon, with the latter getting a renewed focus in light of a record that sparkles
with the old magic. ‘Godfather of Americana’ and ‘architect of cow punk’ never
lose their relevance as the new album reasserts a stance that country music
works well when given a makeover fuelled by the energy and passion of an
alternative edge.
STAND TALL
is a meaningful mix of originals, covers and classic re-works, all bound by a
commission to seek inspiration in Sequoia National Park in northern California.
From the opening strains of an instrumental under the banner of the album title
to an obscure Dylan cover in the guise of ‘Farewell
Angelina’, Ringenberg resonates with an attentive listener, blending the
curious with the informative, while never losing sight of recording a good
solid accessible song.
Early spins
of this record led the listener in the direction of ‘God Bless The Ramones’ and subsequent plays refused to relinquish
this track as being at least the most ear catching moment. We head back to the
early eighties in more ways than one as Ringenberg recalls a moment when his
Scorchers went on the road opening for The Ramones, deciding that you might as
well make a song in the style of the subject. Splendid listening, more so if
you have a soft spot for a bygone age.
Although a
significant proportion of the new songs sprung up in the surroundings of the
Californian residency, some had a more direct link to the environment such as
the explicitly titled, ‘Here in the
Sequoias’ and the follow on track ‘John
Muir Stood Here’. Sequencing also plays a part in the album’s midriff as
the story song ‘I’m Walking Home’
immediately follows a cover of Jimmie Rodgers’ ‘Hobo Bill’s Last Ride’, the former written on the way to Bristol
VA/TN and the second a product of the legendary recordings in this iconic
country music town.
Early in
the album (specifically bridging the opener and the Ramones stand out) sit a
pair of tracks that demonstrates Ringenberg’s songwriting still at its
sharpest. Both ‘Lookin’ Back Blues’
and ‘John the Baptist was a Real
Humdinger’ inject a stimulus into the proceedings in a way that Jason
Ringenberg has perfected for many a year. No matter how much rock ‘n’ roll
figures in the sound, the country element remains steadfast, culminating in a
style that flourishes with a hearty vigour.
To conclude
a brief skirt around the eleven tracks, Ringenberg salutes the work of others
on two more numbers. ‘Almost Enough’
is a jaunty rhythmic dip into the songwriting skills of Hugh Deneal, giving the
album another song to both savour and get your teeth into. Wrapping things up
is a version of a song Jean Shepherd put her mark on, and Jason Ringenberg also
does justice to ‘Many Happy Hangover to
You’.
There is
barely a moment on STAND TALL where Jason Ringenberg makes a false move. The
unique sound and style ensures no straying into the wastelands of irrelevance,
and thus any desire to hark back too much to the halcyon days of Jason and the
Scorchers. This album is a timely reminder to what a good artist we have in our
midst. Expect no half measures when Jason Ringenberg is in recording mode and
the fruits of this latest endeavour unveil as a highly enjoyable listen on many
fronts.
www.jasonringenberg.com