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Modern life increasingly demands that we live out days headlong, driven, and forces us to oblige. There are countless side effects as a result, too many for the purview of this piece, but one that stands out above the others is that we often cannot see the forest for the trees. Charlsey Etheridge’s fine songwriting and breathtaking performances were a casualty – for a time. Her new album Scars of Mine proves to me that if we make a concerted effort to slow down and smell the proverbial roses, we’re often rewarded with the finest scents.
URL: https://www.charlseyetheridge.com/
Even when the bitterness of heartbreak tinges those scents. Titling a song collection Scars of Mine makes it clear to anyone paying attention that this isn’t an entirely carefree romp through sunshine and green meadows. It’s my belief, however, that there are no sad songs, really, at least not how we traditionally define the term. A sad song is silence. The moment that Charlsey Etheridge or any of her peers and contemporaries transform their private pain into public performance, it is a redemptive act and an expression of hope. Creation elevates the human spirit.
The title song burns with its mid-tempo pace and biting slide guitar woven through the fabric of its arrangement. “Scars of Mine” burns at a hot simmer, never boiling over entirely, though Etheridge raises the temperature at key points without ever going overboard. “Doing Wrong Feel Right” is a much different kettle of fish. Etheridge steps back from the bluesy muscle of the title song and, instead, adopts a far more dyed-in-the-wool singer/songwriter approach that benefits from one of the album’s most soulful vocals.
Traditional country is on tap with the album’s third cut “Rhythm of Love”. It’s an excellent choice for an album single as it also threads her blues influences into the mix courtesy of evocative harmonica playing. The harp is never omnipresent however and, paired with the fiddle, makes for a dynamic musical team. Some may hear a folkie slant, as well, thanks to the song’s sensitively rendered acoustic guitar playing.
One of the album’s emotional highlights, “Midnight Train” blends pedal steel, piano, and a relaxed pulse allowing Etheridge ample opportunity to flex her vocal gifts. It’s on par with the deeply felt soul of the earlier “Doing Wrong Feel Right” without retracing that song’s steps. “Time” is another of the album’s gorgeous ballads with a self-evident subject. It’s a pure pleasure to hear how completely Etheridge inhabits each of these cuts and the emphatic, yet brief, electric guitar solo near the song’s conclusion puts a vivid exclamation point on her performance.
The dramatic dynamics of the album’s true closer “So Long” are fueled by blistering electric guitar unlike anything else prior. Her talent for crafting an arrangement full of light and shadow is also key. You won’t hear a single dud on this album, even an acoustic rendition of the earlier “Midnight Train” closes the album on a spectacular note, and the uniform excellence bodes well for her increasingly bright future.
Jennifer Munoz
