A Timeless Outing from a Man Who Deserves the Spotlight

Rich in Love, Colin Linden. Colin Linden is no newcomer—his first album came out three decades ago—which makes his relatively obscurity all the more difficult to understand.

This first studio outing since 2009’s From the Water benefits from his warm, funky vocals, which recall the work of the late, great Jesse Winchester. Linden shines on guitar, ukulele and mandolin and garners backing from a fine bassist and drummer and a variety of guests, most notably famed harmonica player Charlie Musselwhite. Best cut: “Delia Come for Me,” which was inspired both by “Delia,” the old country blues, and the 2011 execution in Georgia of a man who may have been innocent. Like everything in this all-originals program, the song has the same timeless feel as the Band’s recordings. 

Jeff Burger edited Leonard Cohen on Leonard Cohen: Interviews and Encounters and Springsteen on Springsteen: Interviews, Speeches, and Encounters, both published by Chicago Review Press. He is working on a third book for the same publisher. His website, byjeffburger.com, contains more than four decades’ worth of music reviews and commentary.