James Intveld – Somewhere Down The Road

Somewhere Down The Road, Southern Californian James Intveld’s second release, continues in the path of his debut. His silky-smooth vocals and songwriting talents are applied to tunes that range in style from country to blues to rockabilly, with a general tone that recalls the early heydays of the likes of Elvis Presley and Roy Orbison. Sparkling musicianship and Intveld’s distinctive personality assures the results never sound dated, however, resulting in a disc that is remarkably contemporary and exceptionally fresh.

While his first album was truly a self-produced effort — he played all the instruments and sang all the vocal tracks — Somewhere Down The Road was assembled with the help of guitarist Mike Turner. Together they pay tribute to a wide variety of influences, from Waylon Jennings (with a cover of “Stop The World” that’s high on twang content) to a swinging, bluesy turn through Joe Liggins’ “One Sweet Letter”.

Elsewhere Intveld’s songwriting is sturdy and tuneful. The title track is a trucker’s delight, “All The Way From Memphis” is as soulful as country-rock gets, and the tear-jerker ballad “Living Without You” features a piano-and-strings arrangement that summons the ghost of Owen Bradley with unflinching honesty. Somewhere Down The Road is a superb demonstration of Intveld’s dynamic talents.