Slow Inspiring Story Songs & Subtle Effective Performances

Hit writer and veteran singer-songwriter Craig Bickhardt always possessed a pleasant sound to his poignant balladry voice and he starts his sixth album “Home for the Harvest,” off with two typical Bickhardt songs. As good as they are, however, I’m from the school of getting out of the gate with something strong to lasso the audience ears and set off the slower songs past track four. That’s what past producers and marketers (in the old days they were called song pluggers) always impressed upon me and through the years that’s what I’ve seen work on many artists’ albums.

So, while “Steady As She Goes,” (a nice traditional sounding Scottish type folk ballad that sounds more like it was written two hundred years ago than a Bickhardt original), the second — “The Way You Loved Me,” — with lovely ballad singing and playing, and third, “Old Maid’s Man,” another original that sounds effectively traditional…none grab a listener by the throat. Doesn’t make the tunes bad but it does teeter on losing the interest of those potential listeners with short attention spans. And this is the intro to a new collection. Needs a little more muscle. 

I’m not suggesting a foot-stomping barn burner of a song here. But, one listen to Gordon Lightfoot or Bruce Cockburn on their past albums and that will suggest that even they always started with a buzzing hive of a great melody with their instrumentalists bubbling with enthusiasm.

So, while not criticizing Craig’s songs themselves because they are indeed good. I am questioning the order they’ve been placed on the album: nothing shakes, rattles or rolls out of the box and now I’m at track four “Racing the Bullet,” and even the title suggests something with a kick like wine — but it’s just another well-written grape drink mandolin-driven ballad with excellent playing but no strike of the match flame. I also happen to like grape drinks so it’s not a put-down. It just needs to ferment a little. 

Craig has the voice to snap the whip just a tad and he has the material.

Actually, the back cover photo on the CD would have been a much better front cover. Craig is an older artist but he has the look of that challenging Buddy Miller cum Steve Earle attraction. “Racing” needs perhaps a slight tweak in the arrangement because there are way too many slow inspired songs in a row at the onset of this album.

“Greener Past,” — I listened to this several times and it’s a beautiful song, good storyline, and acoustic guitar. But, we’re into the fifth slow song and I am still waiting for some lift. Townes Van Zandt had a lift; Arlo Guthrie has some, Tom Paxton, certainly Bob Dylan, Richard Thompson, and the sleepiest of all the late David Blue (aka S. David Cohen) had a song or two that left the ground despite his laid-back approach. Eric Andersen has songs that move along at a good clip, Greg Trooper, Peter Himmelman, Jim Lampos and the late Robert Hazard. I think this album is not suffering so much from the artist, the material or the recording — but the producer’s choice of what to put first.

Finally – I knew Craig had energy – track six “Chesapeake Bay,” has that dynamic. Not a lot but just enough to suggest that this album has life. I would have opened the album with this song or placed it at that all-important #4 if Craig absolutely had to open with those slower tunes. Sometimes I forget that some songs in an artist’s repertoire have some special meaning to them and that’s why they prioritize them as such. 

This song is cool, it’s a stroll with good lyrics in a Gordon Lightfoot tradition carried off quite well by Bickhardt who has no problems with performance ability. There’s a nice mandolin though the song would have been even more significant if a National Steel Guitar wound itself through some of these verses. Just an opinion and…a strange parallel: pop-rocker Freddy Cannon had a minor hit in the 60’s called “Abigail Beecher,” and I don’t know what kind of guitar tuning was used or what type of guitar was played on that song but that’s what this tune needs. That dual tone and if for nothing else, to wake listeners from the slower tunes and get them deeper into the collection where the bigger slices of musical cake are.

Back to slow songs – “I’m Sure the Rain,” takes up track 7 and the sad thing to me is that these slow songs are good songs. I like this one. There’s just too many of them in the same gear. A nice little story, excellent playing and interesting. Positioning is so important on an album. I think this album has that issue. The songs are not paced well. This slow song could have been higher on the album list. It’s slow but it has more salt than the others. This could easily be picked up by a major artist and covered. It’s lovely. 

With “It Takes a Winding Road,” the guitar is the hook – beautiful sound and a good Craig Bickhardt vocal.

This song has a nice arrangement and it’s another song that should have been moved up in the performance and deserves attention. There are always some listeners who listen to a new album – but, if you don’t get them by track four you lose them. This has the nice balance of mandolin, acoustic guitars and miscellaneous acoustic instruments not bogged down by drums. This is solidly in that Gordon Lightfoot style rather than say, Neil Young. I don’t think – despite many wonderful songs — Neil Young could write something this eloquent.

The title track continues in a somewhat slow gear but it has resonance. A pleasant story song and Craig is always effective in that genre. I guess the one thing CB does is play it a little safe. None of his songs ever are controversial or pushes anyone’s buttons. To my knowledge that is. Maybe he doesn’t think it’s necessary but there are times when an artist should take a chance and place a strategic line in a song that would raise an eyebrow or two.

“Home for the Harvest,” may not be the song for that – but this is another that is simply well-written, sung and performed. Craig is just one of those artists who is reliable and who writes songs that endear him to his audience and that is fine by me.

https://www.reverbnation.com/craigbickhardt/songs

But despite the mannered, natural and distinguished songs of this collection my main problem continues to be simply the pacing, and the fact that many songs are stuck in one gear. If Craig has room for thirteen songs, six need to be more vigorous. They can be literate lyrically, acoustic even, but they need to kick someone in their ass just a little. Many on this collection are too sublime and safe. “You Take Me Home,” is sensitive and articulate with attractive guitar picking and the song itself is good. Craig’s songs are always good. But look where it is. It’s track eleven – near the end of the album where many listeners may never get to.

A nice change of pace comes with “Sonoma,” and this at least proves to me that Craig can do it and I never doubted it. With a change of arrangement, this could be a rousing Mexican inflected folk song. Nice acoustic fingerpicking – maybe if more than one guitar played it would have had more impact. On this song, I think Craig could have benefited from some female or male backup singers and a little foot stomping with the absence of percussion. The melody line is lovely and it’s catchy. It should have been positioned higher on the album’s track running list. This is the kind of song that befits the look that Craig has on the back panel photo. More like this would suit Craig Bickhardt’s image. 

The final track starts off with pleasant acoustic guitars and Craig’s voice has a nice smoothness as he recites the lyrics. “One Little Light,” has some essence and the lyric dabbles with a stronger subject. This is borderline spiritual music – just add gospel singers and you have a strong folk tale with vitality. It’s the last song and it’s one of the best.

Not too slow, not exactly upbeat, but it’s the tune itself that has the lift. The song is powerful and that’s what makes this one a bit irresistible. A Mavis Staples could do this electrifying. Craig’s daughter Aislinn Bickhardt sings harmony and is a fine folk singer as well.

This one will be set on repeat.

Bickhardt continues to fill a need for this type of songwriter and he is still one of the most respected. When he writes his songs there is no economical way. They are all written perceptions of life and Craig never compromises his art. None of the songs, slow or otherwise, are clouded or blurred. Each has a clear vision in what is being told in each. The most admirable thing about Craig is his ability to not follow trends and at least follow his creativity where it richly leads – and it always has. Singer-songwriter Jon Vezer is another who does as well. There is an authenticity to it all.     

The 49 minute CD was probably produced by Craig Bickhardt. The CD was designed by Craig Bickhardt as well.

Website:  http://www.craigbickhardt.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CraigBickhardt/

Facebook – Home for the Harvest: https://www.facebook.com/events/1803288266358363/

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this review/commentary are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official position of No Depression. All photography is owned by the respective photographers and is their copyrighted image; credited where photographer’s name was known & being used here solely as a reference and will be removed on request. YouTube images are standard YouTube license.

John Apice / No Depression / Written in August 2018