http://www.thegreatwesterntears.com
Country music from Oxfordshire, and not for the first time, for just last year we had hard country from Ags Connolly turn more heads than any other in years. The Great Western Tears is only four songs, but lead vocalist, song writer David Waterhouse, aided by members Garry Richardson, Kurt Hamilton and Ian Clark offer something different, as you have country, blues and folk meet at the crossroads.
Waterhouse’s strong, unbending tones aren’t only warmed in tales of America, but through his recent time spent Down Under, where he worked on farms in the Australian outback of life there too. Seemingly, the work wasn’t too bad because it was there he either wrote of finished the songs we have here, no doubt some material will be forthcoming after the experience.
On spirited “Sittin' On The Stoop” the partnership with vocalist Fern Thornton blossoms and has a sound akin to New York’s Annie Keating, and with rockin’ guitar, harmonica, and just about everything else but the kitchen sink in the mix it lifts the EP to another level. Opening the 4-track release GWT offers a piece about the one and only, man in black Johnny Cash; it works well enough without pulling up any trees. Considerably stronger is the measured, wonderful slow burner “Emily's Eyes”. The song speaks of hard times, broken hearts to leave a bittersweet taste as she claims to now be getting along fine, maybe a sequel would be in order?
Maurice Hope