Greg Scott Reeves – “Black Boots” / “Original Owner”
Greg Scott Reeves sings with a cry in his voice, and he has the habit of sliding into that cry much like Tarnation’s Paula Frazer’s habit of soaring through the air with her voice. In all things moderation, eh? And, in both cases, the only proper complaint is that habit becomes a crutch.
“Black Boots” is a slow, she’s-gone-and-now-I-appreciate-her song that is suitably sad and gently melodic. It seems a verse and a chorus long on record, and the title phrase suffers from over-repetition. “Original Owner” is a less-rewarding uptempo number. Not that rock is a bad direction to head, just that Reeves’ voice is not so well suited to that tempo, which tends to iron his virtues flat.