Todd Adelman’s forthcoming release, "Western Soul", is a fourteen-song prescription for what ails the American Dream. It’s as if Adelman has checked the vitals, extracted a little blood & scrutinized our diet of political chaos, rampant illness & overwhelming violence & recommended something honest & straight from the gut. Western Soul is a batch of songs born right out of the American Songwriting Tradition. An homage & a tribute to all those great records we know & love & feel like have been with us from the start. Like the mythical country singer Bad Blake says, “that’s the way it is with the good ones, you’re sure you’ve heard ‘em before”. &, like his predecessors, Petty & Kristofferson & Prine, Adelman is a Keeper of the Keys. An honest Rock ‘n’ Roller. A Country Gentleman. A Storyteller.
With seven albums under his belt, Singer, Songwriter, Producer & Engineer, Todd Adelman has arrived in the Catskills via Colorado & built a studio in the woods simply called: The Woods. A place reminiscent of where all your favorite records were made. Tape machines and vintage gear and, if you listen closely, the voices of those who came before. It was here in this new, old space that Adelman recorded Western Soul, straight to tape with the help of some choice friends.
The record was produced by Woodstock Producer/Musician Danny Blume, with production assistance from bassist Taras Prodaniuk and guitarist Doug Pettibone. Veteran Jim Christie joins them on the drums. Both Christie & Prodaniuk have played with: Dwight Yoakam, Lucinda Williams & Merle Haggard. Pettibone has played with Lucinda Williams, Zucchero, Marianne Faithfull, and Vic Chestnut, to name a few. Throw in some Woodstock locals such as Larry Campbell, John Medeski, Jeff Hill, Zack Djanikian, Pete Rubens, Tony Garnier, and Brian Mitchell & you have what adds up to a compelling line-up.
I love the pace and the mood of the new single Hot As The Hinges. It's extremely easy listening, catchy and quality from every point of view: performance, arrangement, and production. I totally recommend the song. A very enjoyable one, give it a go by clicking on the Spotify player below and following Todd Adelman on social media if you like what you hear.
https://www.instagram.com/todd.adelman/