1.6.11 | CD Review: Americana-UK | Pat Anderson “Magnolia Road
Nashville is full of good artists, mediocre artists and “buckle and hat” artists, who are usually not much cop. Anderson is in the former camp.
Originating from Oklahoma, Anderson’s press release states his influences as Steve Earle, T-Bone Burnett, Ryan Adams, Tom Petty and Lynyrd Skynyrd. This is an impressive list, but can he hold his own amongst such illustrious company? Whilst it’s virtually impossible to produce an album that comes anywhere near the heady heights of his influences, Anderson has had a good go. A folksinger at heart, this album encompasses all things Americana. Hell he’s even done a bluegrass down tempo banjo version of Springsteen’s ‘Dancing in the Dark’, which works. Anderson says “They say you should write about what you know. There’s a lot that I don’t know, but I do know what it feels like to laugh, cry, love, sweat, bleed, win, and lose; to be hungry for something better. Those are the things that make us human, good and bad – those are the things I’m trying to get a handle on in these songs.” And that’s a good philosophy to have and “Magnolia Road” covers all he knows. ‘Martinsville’ provides tales of people struggling with the desperate existence of life, ‘She’s The One’ is the melancholic ballad, whereas opener ‘Follow Me Down’ is one of the obligatory rockers. Eleven tracks that take this album out of mediocrity into the aforementioned artists’ territory. Anderson is definitely on his way.
By Phil Edwards: Americana-UK.com