Ronnie Fauss – New Songs for the Old Frontier

Ronnie Fauss has been kind enough to let me have a review copy of his EP “New Song for the Old Frontier, Volume 1” one listen got me looking forward to Volume 2. The collection of six songs totals a little over 22 minutes and runs through a gamut of emotions, showcasing Ronnie’s talent, the lyrics are strong and thoughtful, the vocal has that whiskey soaked edge of authenticity, Made in Texas.

The opening track “The Saddest Love That’s Ever Been Made” with it’s haunting steel over strummed acoustic is a melancholic lament of waning love “..you can even pretend that I am someone else…”, lovely track and my highlight of the EP.

The musical tone livens into track two at odds with songs darker undertone of a soldier’s relationship and the horror’s of war … “we’ll never escape that screaming in our ears”, fear not though Ronnie is not all doom and gloom and the clouds lift into track three a song about love’s future and commitment, track four completes the mood transition a humorous and uplifting number with some more trad sounding pedal steel, track five carries the upbeat mood forward as life’s lighter and brighter moments are celebrated, although the subject matter of this trio of tracks is lighter they are by no means throw aways, foot tapping a plenty guaranteed.

The EP ends on a sadder note as the the artist recounts the death of a loved one “With Love”, the memory that will never fade and the hope of meeting again “.. I hope I end up where your face is a glow. With Love”

Country-folk? Alt-country, call it what you will, the album contains all the elements, the country is there but in the instrumentation not cliched lyrics and with a great production job by Slobberbone’s / The Drams Brent Best and some quality playing, including Best’s band mates from The Drams Joe Butcher providing the pedal steel and Chad Stockslager the piano, this albums deserves a place in your collection.

You can listen here, buy the CD here or for eMusic lovers get your downloads here where Ronnie also has some earlier work to tempt you.