Parker Millsap’s sophomore set rings the musical changes and sparkles like a diamond
It’s not truly raspy or hoarse to the extent of aurally grating, but Parker’s (singing) voice is most assuredly weathered way beyond his tender twenty years. Born and raised in the small town of Purcell, Oklahoma (Pop. 5,884), Parker is another Red Dirt bred musician with a great deal to say for himself. On this self-released (Okrahoma Records), self-titled, sophomore set Parker (vocals, guitar, resonator, drums) is accompanied throughout by road companions Michael Rose (bass – upright/electric, bowed saw) and Daniel Foulks (fiddle, strings) plus, to a lesser extent, former Turnpike Troubadour Giovanni Carnuccio III (drums), David Leach (trombone), Marcus Spitz (trumpet) and Eric Walschap (baritone sax). Shawnee based solo recording artist Samantha Crain supplies a backing vocal to Disappear.
Based on observing Parker – and the boys – as opening act at the 2013 Wildflower! Art & Music Festival (Singer/Songwriter Stage) in Richardson, Texas and a week later, and a tad further south, at the Kerrville Folk Festival, his clean-cut good looks and unassuming manner belie a stage commanding musician, who’s a tornado one-minute and a light summer breeze the next. He earned my wrapped attention on both occasions. Funded via a PledgeMusic campaign, Millsap penned the ten songs featured on PARKER MILLSAP.
As with Parker’s debut PALISADE (2012), his sophomore album was engineere
d, mixed and produced by the award winning Wes Sharon and recorded at the latter’s 115 Recording in Norman, (Oklahoma). Oklahoma City artist Tessa Raven furnished the album cover Parker Millsap cartoon. Rose was Millsap’s sole accompanist on PALISADE, the heavily-bearded Foulks joining soon afterwards. Daniel resembles a mountain man, is a ‘demon’ fiddler in the mould of Lubbock’s legendary Richard Bowden. This fresh-faced youngster’s lyrics affirm an old soul in a young body. Raised in the Pentecostal Church (but no longer a member), Parker’s upbringing is embraced in titles such as opener Old Time Religion, plus the ensuing Truck Stop Gospel and Forgive Me.
“It’s good enough for me” is the narrator’s summation of Old Time Religion, while the eighteen-wheel Truck Stop Gospel driver has a “big cross painted on the side of my rig” and aims to “make you a true believer and modify your behavior.” Millsap propels the latter at around ninety miles an hour, while Foulks injects dervish fiddle. The pace slows considerably for Forgive Me, wherein a sinner contemplates contrition, while The Villain weighs up what has transpired and admits “I don’t want to be the one that lets you down anymore.” Disappear finds a young couple devise a plan to elope.
The ‘let’s mix it up’ approach is similar to Josh Ritter’s Folk Bloodbath, except that Parker’s slyly worded Quite Contrary employs nursery rhyme characters, a dark, yes very dark storyline (based on events that Parker witnessed near his home), plus a growl from Mavis Millsap (she has four legs I understand). Boy does the song rock! Slowing to a waltz pace while retaining an engaging lyric, At The Bar (Emerald City Blues) draws from THE WIZARD OF OZ. In When I Leave the narrator reviews his life choices, and in Yosemite dreams of places he’d like to visit one day, with “the one I love.” For the narrator a lottery win would be ‘just the ticket.’ A slide guitar propels album closer Land Of The Red Man and the closing line “…Oklahoma’s hotter than hell, but it’s better than Texas” will have concert goers in the South howling approval/dissent.
What can I say.………..Oklahoma bred Parker’s brand of “grab you by the scruff of the neck, gut music” is pretty darned amazing.
STOP PRESS
Parents lock up your sons and daughters, Parker’s brand of fire, brimstone and velvet music is launched in the U.K. on 1st April.
Of course there’s intentional irony contained in the synopsis above, and hopefully it gained your intention, so please read on. Distributor 30 Tigers will, on 1st April, digitally release, on Millsap’s Okrahoma imprint, the three-song OLD TIME RELIGION EP featuring two songs from his forthcoming album PARKER MILLSAP plus a live rendition by this Oklahoma bred musician of You Gotta Move. Twenty-year old Parker’s ten-song album will be released in the U.K. this summer.
Perusal of the schedules for the 2013 Wildflower! Art & Music Festival (Singer/Songwriter Stage) and a week later at the Kerrville Folk Festival, confirmed the opening act would be Parker Millsap. My initial reaction “Who?” Parker’s clean-cut good looks and unassuming manner in conversation belie a stage commanding musician who’s a tornado one-minute and a light summer breeze the next. During his opening song at Wildflower! he earned my wrapped attention. Kerrville was simply the cherry on the cake. Assisted by Michael Rose (upright/electric bass) and Daniel Foulks (fiddle), please beware because the Pied Piper of Purcell’s (*) music is going to steal your heart and soul……..
Parker was raised in the Pentecostal Church. Though no longer a member he draws on his experiences in Old Time Religion, the portrait of a “full-grown man” who “buries his cash in a coffee can,” and “makes his decisions down on his knees” and more. Much more! While the latter character’s approach is “submit to your husband,” The Villain confides “I don’t want to be the one that lets you down anymore.” The best known rendition of the traditional, Negro spiritual You Gotta Move appeared on the Rolling Stones’ STICKY FINGERS (1971) attributed to Mississippi Fred McDowell. Millsap’s slow-burning fire and brimstone rendition was recorded during a late October 2013 appearance on NPR’s syndicated show eTown broadcast from Boulder, Colorado.
Don’t take my word for it, simply taste and see that Parker Millsap’s music is good……….
NOTE.
(*) Parker Millsap’s Oklahoma birthplace.
Photo Credits:
Parker Millsap portrait by Samantha Lamb.
Parker Millsap, Live At Kerrville Folk Festival, 23rd May 2013 by Folk Villager
From the desk of the Folk Villager.
