Lost Cause Records artist: Clint Morgan - Troublemaker - New Release Review

 I just had the opportunity to review the most recent release (July 16, 2021), Troublemaker, from Clint Morgan and it's a lot of fun. Opening with Hangman Woman a cool country flavored rocker, Clint Morgan is on lead vocal with a casual Johnny Cash like approach. backed by Wendy Moten and the McCrary Sisters on vocal, Doug Lancio and John Del Toro Richardson on guitar, Kevin McKendree on piano, David Santos on bass, and Kenneth Blevins on drums, this is a hot opener. On traditional track, Go Down, Moses, Morgan's lead vocal, complimented nicely by Ann McCrary and Regina McCrary over a nicely orchestrated backing this track is very strong.  On a cover of Johnny Cash's Big River, Morgan nicely blends Cash's style with Ray Charles and the addition of Lancio's baritone guitar work and Jim Hoke on sax really hits the spot. One track that stands out as totally different is spoken word over a blues rocking rhythm, It's Rough Out Here with jamming guitar riffs, McKendree on piano and a tight drum bottom by Blevins. Very cool. Hoke and McKendree really jam it out on She takes My Money, a rockabilly style track with some really laid our rocking guitar riffs. Another track, Hurricane Harvey, with casual spoken words and echo like spoken vocal and McKendree on percussion but with acoustic slide by John Del Toro Richardson and nicely woven atmosphere is a swampy winner. Kinky Friedman adds guest vocal with Morgan and the McCrary sisters on comedic country blues, Somebody Put A Walmart On The Farm, with sparkeling piano work by McKendree and nice fiddle work by Jimmy Stewart. This isn't your typical top track but I think it has all of the components of a crowd favorite. Another crowd favorite likely is The Cover Of Living Blues, (a take on the Cover of Rolling Stone), with Bob Margolin on vocal and slide and solid backing warmth by The McCrary Sisters. Title track, The Troublemaker is a really interesting overview of traditional track, The Old Rugged Cross with Morgan on vocal and piano. This is a really interesting interpretation and a cool choice for closer with bluesy fiddle by stewart added. A bonus track is a different take on The Cover of Living Blues featuring Watermelon Slim on lead vocal and cool piano by Morgan and margolin on slide. Excellent closer. 

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Lost Cause Records artist: Clint Morgan - Scofflaw - New release review

I just had the opportunity to review the newest release, Scofflaw, from Clint Morgan and it's a winding road of interesting passages. With an intro of children singing This Little Light of Mine, this release covers gospel, blues and country styles. Waco almost smells of John Wayne with a heavy bottom by bassist Dave Roe and Jerry Roe on drums and with Clint Morgan on piano and vocal with raggedy nice guitar by Kenny Vaughan. Early rocker, Wild One maintains a lot of it's country flavor but rips with some nice guitar and piano work and Morgan's vocals are perfect. I Got A Gun is an easy country rocker with Jonathan Yudkin on violin with Morgan painting a cool lyrical story. I Don't Know Where To Turn is a cool boogie woogie track with real nice piano work backing Morgan's duet with Diunna Greenleaf on lead vocals. Dripping country, Vaughan lays out some real nice guitar work on the bluesy track. Eastham Farm has a lot of Johnny Cash in style balanced by nice harp work by Jim Hoke, additional rich vocals by Greenleaf and just the right touch of horns. Country flavored, D.B. Cooper Blues, is right down the middle pre pop country with solid vocals, piano and guitar work. Very strong. David Allen Coe's, I Love Robbing Banks gets a fresh coat of paint with a really hot sax solo and tight drums. Morgan is very comfortable in singing this kind of music along with his piano, sounds like he was born to do it. A Johnny Cash flavored, Bad Man Blues, has the solid acoustic guitar/bass vamp, tight little snare riffs and even steel guitar riffs giving this track it's classic sound. Love it! Boogie track, Thief In The Night, has the droning bass line and low key vocals setting up nicely for a pretty nice guitar score. Bob Dylan/Johnny Cash penned, Wanted Man has the sounds of a prison cam song with effective drum stomp and backing acoustic slide. Morgan's vocals nicely score on the Johnny cash connection and violin and electric guitar work add nicely to the fabric of the tune. The Face In The Mirror is a nicely introspective track with a subtly blistering guitar solo by Vaughan. Two stepper, A Sackful Of Cash, is high energy with a carnival of sounds but with great piano work, sexy sax and flashy country style guitar riffs. Very cool! Bessie Smith's Send Me To The 'Lectric Chair holds that New Orleans blues sound with the rolling piano, bluesy guitar and wailing clarinet, making it one of my favorite tracks on the release. Old hymn, Softly And Tenderly, Jesus is Calling is a duet with Maria Muldaur, handled with the utmost respect backed by piano, mandolin, guitar and dobro. Very nice. I Done Made It Up In My Mind, a spiritual number written by Muldaur, is nicely performed featuring Muldaur on lead vocals. Morgan's secondary vocals are clean and uplifting and his piano and organ work is top notch. The release is closed with an alternate take of I Got A Gun. Gritty and full of western, this is a n appropriate closer for a really western release...dig the guitar effects! This is a really interesting release and make certain you check the liner notes which is plastered with outlaw photos (one in a wooden box) and notorious characters of all kinds.



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