Dean Owens' plans to release this album were hastily brought forward when its funds were deemed useful to fulfil an invite to the prestigious Folk Alliance convention in Kansas City next spring. A laudable motive for an independent artist alongside a potential double whammy effect of potential listeners getting an early chance to enjoy the fruits of this trinity of transatlantic talent. PICTURES puts the focus on the prime skills of three hugely experienced practitioners. Will Kimbrough is a seasoned sought after stringed instrumentalist who enriches each record he plays on; Neilson Hubbard is the unashamed king of steering high quality albums through the production process and the main man himself, Dean Owens, a songwriter of depth, intuition and perceptive guile. The result is eleven tracks that simply yearn to be shared.
You could be forgiven for thinking that the album title is based on a series of images stimulating the song writing process. Regardless of the route to fruition, the themes suggest a well-stocked memory bank with songs pinging out from a variety of perspectives. The common bond is a batch of abundantly frank numbers rinsed in clarity with a touch of polished class around the edges. Strains of folk and country add a dimension, but the true driver is a down to earth approach spinning a row of ballads and gentle free flowing rollers.
Bathing in a soothing lilt, the sound takes you back to a trademark style that connected Dean Owens to a growing appreciative fanbase. Recently, his projects have veered off in different tangents including heading out West in his mind and body to work with Calexico and Buffalo Blood. The theme here is closer to home and a formula addressed in the past. Numerous listens shine differing lights on each track with early conclusions shaping 'In My Dreams' as a potential standout. This heart touching ballad comes across as a letter of possible regret, dreaming of a lost love that hasn't been forgotten. There is a sensitive tough guy feel to the proceedings.
This track seeps into its successor where a kitchen sink aside to the lyrics delivers a stream of great real life lines in 'Dalry Cemetery'. You could throw a blind dart to the era evoked with it landing anywhere between the 60s and present day. Expect football references to supporting Hearts (no surprise there) and musical ones recalling the Grateful Dead and Sinatra.
An outlier track emerges from a surprising angle when imagery is put to one side and focus turns to writing an infectious song that can be added to a canon of catchy numbers primed for the live arena. 'Great Song' is rich in simplicity and another tune enhanced by the whistling skills of Dean Owens.
Returning to the imagery, two tracks that puts clear pictures in your mind are 'Hills of Home' and 'Boxing Shorts'. The former opens the album and reassures you of the virtues of seeing where you belong. The latter is vintage Owens: candid, conversational and overtly detailed storytelling. Stark clarity exists in the song writing and sentiment with a sincere message flowing freely at the end.
Good albums end on a memorable note and the final pairing do the job perfectly for now. 'Friend' edges towards the finishing line with the sense of a tearful farewell before title track 'Pictures' blossoms as the perfect closer. You feel this track ties the thread and binds the theme. The repeated line 'see you on the other side' is responsible for the odd moist eye.
We learn that this is the archetypal pandemic record. Written in lockdown and recorded totally remotely with Owens in Edinburgh and his pals in Nashville. The one track where the writer does veer westwards is 'Buffalo River', which replicates some of the recent influences to make their way onto Dean Owens records.
The final three tracks are right on message regarding the rootsy feel generated from the album, but slightly trail the others in the early stages of raving about this record. There is a 'warts and all' and 'for better and worse' conclusion to 'Pure Magic' as family memories simmer. 'Sometimes' is a gently strummed number merging a pedestrian stroll with a decent melody. 'Staring at the Lid' is one of the more upbeat efforts within the roots range that frames the album sound.
PICTURES puts a quality stamp on easy listening. Dean Owens is the perennial roamer retreating to play the 'what you know' game. Pure nostalgia bursting with memories lace a record from start to finish. This is a back to roots vintage effort where all parties have honed in on their assets to produce a record straight to the heart of listeners motivated by songs that mean the world and transcend so clearly.