Hear Ya – John Calvin Abney – Safe Passage (album review)
John Calvin Abney is one of the finest guitarists you’ve probably heard on a record but had no idea he existed. He has played with countless artists over the years and it was supporting that John Moreland when I was left slack-jawed at his playing. For his solo stuff, you’d half expect to just bury you under a mountain of guitar mastery. For his solo stuff, he has opted for folksy Americana that is contemplative as opposed to flashy.
Safe Passage, the follow up to 2018’s Coyote, came out during a perfect time of the year. It feels natural to sit outside on the porch as the air starts to gather a chill to it. The three track run of Turn Again, When the Dark Winds Blow and Backwards Spring are pure perfection. It is a little more twangy than previous efforts but it isn’t hitting you over the head. They just come off as no natural, lending itself to theme of this effort – hope.
Follow me on Twitter at @WoodyHearYa or @HearYa
John Calvin Abney is here