I already briefly mentioned John Calvin Abney’s new album Far Cries and Close Calls some weeks ago, but a revisit is in order because the album is now out and available. I’ve spent countless amount of hours listening to it during the week and I think it’s magnificent.
John Calvin Abney is an Oklahoma-based songwriter, musician, multi-instrumentalist. Far Cries and Close Calls is a very impressive collection of songs and his best album so far. Actually I probably should throw John’s denim jacket on that album of the month slot, because I haven’t changed that in ages and I’m really loving this one. There’s a good amount of variety in here as well. I’ll Be Here, Mairead wouldn’t feel out of place on a Pete Molinari album and Way Out is far closer to someone like Elliot Smith (this is far less Elliot-like than his Vice Versa Suite EP though). All that namedropping is rather pointless, because John has found his own voice and is more than ready to present his own unique combination of folk, americana, rock’n’roll and indie pop. I hope this one will get the recognition it deserves. In my books, Far Cries and Close Calls is one of 2016’s finest. Here are a couple of personal favorites from the album that is now out on Horton Records in USA and CRS/Continental Record Services in Europe. Album opener Beauty Seldom Seen and In Such A Strange Town. You can hear/buy the rest on his Bandcamp page.
