Will Kimbrough, a singer/songwriter from Nashville, is coming to The Northwest in January. It’s about time. Due to a highly successful Kickstarter campaign to raise funds for his new solo album Sideshow Love, Will was able to book a few gigs in Washington and Oregon. As soon as I know firm dates and specific locations, I’ll post them here.
Many artists whom we have latched onto over the years seem to have a “prolific genius” quality about them. Not only are they singer/songwriters, but play multiple instruments, write other works, play in multiple bands, support other artists, produce, tour incessantly, and somehow manage to raise a family. Will is one of these genius artists. He also earned the title of Instrumentalist of the Year by the Americana Music Association. His music catalog ranges from pop, folk, Americana, country, to a little bit rock-n-roll.
Sideshow Love is Will Kimbrough’s best solo work to date. He reaches out instrumentally and vocally in ways I haven’t heard before on previous albums. The twelve Americana tracks have a darker, bluesy edge with a Southern drawl. Themes of love, lust, longing and love lost snake their way through most tracks mixed with wit, humor and angst. Some songs, like “Soulfully” and “Emotion Sickness”, just ache with tenderness. His diverse vocals portray heartbreaking emotion, grit, a sensual rasp, beautiful vibrato, surprising falsetto, and a quiet, soulful whisper. Not to be outdone, his instrumental prowess accents each song’s mood perfectly. His expert guitar picking is most distinct in the bridge and throughout “I Want Too Much”; and his old timey banjo strumming takes the amusing “Home Economics” back several decades to its roots. Will plays a variety of guitars, mandolin, banjo, bass, keys and percussion on this album. He invited a few friends along to round out the sound, including Lisa Oliver Gray and Paul Griffith. A smile and a wink or a teardrop – there’s a song for every mood in this stellar collection.
Will’s recent solo endeavor was not the only project he worked on this year. He also managed, almost by accident, to form a roots band called Willie Sugarcapps and produced a debut self-titled album. One of the tracks, “Gypsy Train” landed them on the 2014 GRAMMY consideration list for best Americana song.
If you are anywhere near the Portland-Seattle-Bellingham metropolis in early January (firm dates/locations will be posted soon), I strongly recommend you clear your calendar of all other events and see his show somewhere, somehow. If he tours in your part of the world, go see him. Buy his albums. Trust me, you will not be disappointed. It’s Will By-God-Kimbrough!*
*Will By-God Kimbrough – Thanks, Sir Paul Griffith, for dubbing Will with this honourable title.
