James Armstrong
Dark Night
(HCD 8096)
There is a palpable honesty in James Armstrong's voice as he sings. The seductive quality of the work on this release is in the texture of the sound. The compositions are solid and sleek. The guitar work is engaging and subtle, yet filled with punch. James Armstrong is ready to take us all on a slow ride through uncharted musical territory and Dark Night is the perfect vehicle to make the journey.
The tunes are impressive and constructed from the heart. Armstrong is a great song writer. He knows how to turn a phrase for maximum effect. Check out the wonderful song he wrote for his son "Lil' James" and it is easy to spot the sincerity in his tone and his lyrics. It bears mentioning that in 1997, an intruder broke into Armstrong's home, stabbed him repeatedly and threw his two year old son James from a second story balcony. The culprit went to jail and Lil' James survived, but Armstrong is still fighting to regain the complete use of his left hand and arm.
There is pain that surfaces in many of the tracks; a soulful, haunted cadence in the work. But what sets the sound apart and takes it out of the realm of despair is this driving, energetic hope. The title track, inspired by the traumatic events of his life ends on a positive note. Despite the horrors of the past, he can still see the light of hope in the future in the eyes of his son. But even if you didn't know what was going on behind the music (I didn't at first) all of the elements are so overwhelmingly present in the music, they speak for themselves.
Not to oversell the very present dark motifs, there are many other emotions on display here. Check out the humorous situation of the tune "Slender Man Blues." Enjoy the mojo infused track "Witchin' Moon," which should be getting some air play out there in radio land. Joe Louis Walker and Doug MacLeod are also on hand and add lead guitar on two tracks each.
This is Armstrong's second album. It's deep, honest, elegant and very worthwhile. James Armstrong is a talented performer, but more importantly, he is a performer that has faced some of his demons eye to eye and walked away from it
alive.
- Bill Fountain -
Southwest Blues CD Review - July 1999
Current Reviews -
1999 Reviews - available at our store
