David Scott - "Dark Blue Grass"

 

The following review was done by Guest Reviewer Max Mercy:

After David Scott’s only son was killed eight years ago, he turned what was once a pastime into the primary way of dealing with his grief. Dark Blue Grass is a collection of songs that emerged over that eight-year period and, as one might expect, they are filled with themes of heartbreak, nostalgia, and vengeance (to name a few). However, like good blues musicians, Scott has the ability to step outside of his emotions and display a control that’s both masterful and captivating. The result is a beautifully crafted record laced with rich poetry, blue-blooded soul and immaculate instrumentation.

Musically, this album is American in every sense of the word. Songs based on folk style finger-picking live alongside tracks that make heavy use of drum samples and synthesizers (check out the summer evening cool of “Lose You” or the apocalyptic doom of “Seldom Heart”). And as the album’s title suggests, there are overtones of Appalachia here and there (see “Honey Pie”).  But Scott’s most powerful work is comprised of just his voice and acoustic guitar.

Case in point: “St. Louise” is as sweet as it is sorrowful, as it is prophetic. Amongst haunting background vocals and a descending chord progression is a lyrical cascade of images both profound and devastating: “I have been sent here by St. Louise/We have been watching your arrows in the sky/Honey, and it’s clear enough for me/I will see you just one more time.”


The tracks “Karma Boutique” and “Baby’s Revenge” are as equally brilliant and unique but I won’t get into that here. There’s no point – because – as it is with any self-stylized artist of this caliber, you’re either going to love him or leave him. But if you open yourself up to this music, it runs deep. And no matter how dark it gets, there’s always a light flickering somewhere.

-Max Mercy

Stream/buy the album here.