Otis Gibbs “Joe Hill’s Ashes” (Wanamaker Recordings 2010)

If you missed this, like I did first time around then stop and take note of this essential offering of folk from East Nashville based troubadour Otis Gibbs, the albums title is a homage to American Union activist the late Joe Hill (history lesson) and the album is about as authentic as American roots music gets, steeped in the tradition without letting it strangle the content the albums possess a simple and raw power which is delivered straight-up by Gibbs’ parched and cracked vocal, the fella’s bio makes for more than interesting reading  ”a man who has planted over 7,000 trees, slept in hobo jungles, walked with nomadic shepherds in the Carpathian Mountains, been strip-searched by dirty cops in Detroit, and has an FBI file“.

The writing on this album is stunning, indeed the whole album exudes a quality level that pushes Gibbs into the premier league of the Americana troubadour, there’s no hiding behind overwrought instrumentation or production that support the lyrics, it’s a classic blend deftly punctuated with counterpoint vocals from Amy Lashley, Gibbs’ long time partner.

Despite the title and homage paid to Joe Hill the album is not an outright political statement or historical document, the songs cover a range of subject matter including those affecting the human condition too, youth’s innocence lost, friendship, loss and love, highlights abound a trio of stand outs for me, the poignent reminder of the 2006 tragedy in West Virginia recounting the mining accident on Twelve Men Dead In Sago, the track The Town That Killed Kennedy on which Gibbs vividly recounts memorable (for all the wrong reasons) journeys on Greyhound’s in the process removing any romantic ideas of cross-country travel I had harboured about that particular American institution and my pick for the mp3 this wonderful track.

Otis Gibbs – Where Only The Graves Are Real

Joe’s on-line store

Multi-talented he’s a great photographer too and has plans to sell prints of his work.