Dave Jordan was previously noted with his band The NIA but he has actually been playing in and around New Orleans for nearly 30 years. He is a regular at venues such as Tipitinas and the Maple Leaf and he has picked up many awards and finalist listings for Roots/Rock performer and albums.
I have to say that the album fascinated me from the off. He has a lazy drawl to his voice and the music swings slowly in the way that only New Orleans can deliver. It works brilliantly as it is but is it were brought up a tad in the tempo it would work just as well. It’s one of those albums that is deceptively easy to listen to and I have to say that it put a big smile on my face as I listened for the third and fourth and fifth time and reached for the play button for the sixth time.
Musically, you get classic New Orleans Cajun flavoured roots mixed with sugar-sweet country. The album was produced by Anders Osbourne (who also played guitar) with George Porter Jr on bass, Chad Cromwell on drums and Rurik Nolan on violin but that only adds to the quality. The strength is in the songs – the writing, the integrity and the way that the material feels both familiar and new at the same time. Absolute standout is his tribute to John Prine, ‘Pink Supermoon’ along with the brilliant Stones-esque ‘Gone Again’.
I’ve listened to a lot of very good roots music this year but this album is definitely my pick for best of the year. An absolute delight from start to finish.
