Langhorne Slim – The Dreamin’ Kind (Dualtone Records) (13th Floor Album Review)
On his latest album Dreamin’ Kind, Nashville transplant Langhorne Slim takes a slight detour from the Americana sounds steeped in folk, roots, blues and country of his previous 8 albums with a plugged-in rock and roll feel and what might be termed a more commercial treatment of his familiar excellent songwriting.
The change is due to a collaboration with Greta Van Fleet’s bassist and keyboard whizz Sam F. Kiszka, credited with producing the record, and drummer Danny Wagner resulting in a larger, fuller, big band feel.
Slim says that his loves for acoustic and folk music are matched by his love for rock & roll.
“(It’s) always tickled the same place in my soul as great singer-songwriter music, and I wanted to explore those influences,” he says in the release notes. “Raw songs that make you feel something: that’s the stuff I’m after.”
The songs developed as Slim visited Kiszka’s house in Nashville armed with some ideas and riffs, with Wagner joining in to add some stomp and kick.
“I’m usually playing acoustic guitar on the couch, and I don’t have much opportunity to plug in and rock out,” Slim said of the sessions. “Working with Sam and Danny gave me a chance to get loud. I’d introduce a riff and we’d all start playing, and it was fucking beautiful… It felt like I was blowing some old shit up so I could plant some new flowers.”
A year of plugging in and grooving out has brought this collection with Slim exploring influences from all over the record store.
There’s some garage rock sounding a little like The Strokes on Loyalty – Loyalty, it’s how we get by. We’re only gonna make it if we try.
Sometimes he gets a little heavier with influences like Iggy and The Stoogies on Strange Companion – All for nothing. I’m just your strage companion. You should be glad to have one.
And heavier still with a touch of Neil Young and Crazy Horse feels on Haunted Man – All my life I been a haunted man. Looking for my shadow all over this land. Singing alone and singing with the band. But I’m tired of being a haunted man.”
But Slim also keeps his folky roots alive with a voice that sounds like Cat Stevens, and some music to match.
Stealin’ Time is softer with violin flourishes. I want you, don’t want you. I need you , don’t need you. I love you, I’ve always loved you, Slim sings straight out of Cat’s songbook.
And he’s at it again with the feelgood Dance On Thru that’s soaked in Cat’s uplifting vibes. Something good is coming soon, but you gotta keeps your eyes wide open, Slim sings before dropping to the anthemic chorus – All my love, take this song and hold it close to you. All my love give your heart a chance to dance on thru.
But Slim also calls on some soulful and gospel influences in the slower Lord. The track could be described as Sam Cooke meets country. I’m wondering how I coulda been so taken, Slim croons before delivering the sucker punch, A man’s heart is his own. Only he can break it.
There’s plenty of variety on this record, but it’s all rooted in Slim’s knack for storytelling and music-making aided, abetted and amplified by some masterful production.
“He has the conviction of 100 singers,” Sam Kiszka says of Slim. “He puts his entire body and soul into it… Rock & Roll isn’t a sound, necessarily. It’s and energy, and he’s got it.”
The Dreamin’ Kind is out now via Dualtone Records. Click here to buy.
Alex Robertson
