Earlier this year Rock Ridge Music gave us the luscious traditional country vibes of Victoria Bailey which blew like a breath of fresh air to folks besotted with this sound across the pond. Now it's the turn of a deep rougher male sound to follow the same path as George Shingleton's music takes a similar flight with near identical results. A rich blend of southern rock sentiment and a voice drenched wearily in honky tonk revelry and woes greets the listener with an added dose of delectable steel. No doubt contemporary comparisons will be drawn with Chris Stapleton, but here is a guy on fire and not content to rest on his laurels.
A dark background, a moody poise and a title suggesting this is not a release for early risers, OUT ALL NIGHTER doesn't waste a moment of its brief calling time with eight tracks shaping a magnetic sound for those revelling in a little stomp and holler. The brevity of original content is enhanced when you split the cover of 'Misery and Gin' from the pack, but doing that you risk marginalising a song aching for Shingleton's voice to wrap its chops around.
A well trodden iconic route from West Virginia to Nashville is further immortalised in the back story of George Shingleton who may have his work cut out with permeating mainstream circles such is the authenticity and homage paid to the past. Yet the seven tracks presented to the world brim with classy cuts that rock when you wanna, cry when you need to and wallow when there's no option.
George Shingleton politely asks for half an hour of your time and duly blows the mind with a rabid roller coaster of an effort to blitz the emotion of a true OUT ALL NIGHTER. Go hard and sink away wearily at the end. Country music is alive and kicking here.