Homestead Vol. 7 – Various Artists (reviewed by Dave Franklin)

For an album titled with such a solid and resolutely American name, it is fitting that Todd Barrow is here to kick things off with a song that is an accurate summation of one of the many music styles that great country does so well My Girl Crush sits at a point where country music begins to spill over into rock and is a dedication to the love of the narrator’s life, his significant other. It’s the type of song that works so well with a southern drawl and a country guitar twang, the sort of song that doesn’t really work without it, and it sets the tone perfectly for what’s to follow.

Olya K keeps the pace hot and the album rocking with Waking Up In Nashville (Eggs & Bacon), a tribute to Music City itself, and again an excellent blend of roots and rock, or what we call over on this side of the water, “a right old groover.” It’s only when Lyn_Sey joins in with Mrs. Right that things get more sedate. This award-winning sibling duo give us a gorgeous ballad that blends old-school soul with more modern country and pop vibes, and as always with brother and sister voices, theirs merge and meld perfectly, turning the choruses from mere sonic lifts to vocal crescendos.

Coconut Creek can always be counted on to keep things spirited, and High Fivin’ Hearts harks back to the country rock of the past while adding plenty of contemporary polish and poise. Paula Boggs Band and Dom Flemons contribute a wonderful narrative country/folk song in the form of King Brewster, proving that music can always be as informative as it is entertaining.

Bongo Boy favourites, Boys ‘N’ Barry, remind us that in a world where celebrity and fame, cash and the finer things in life seem to be what many set their sites on, being a good parent, a provider, and a guiding hand is a far more worthy goal. Hometown Heroes are all around us, and emulating them makes the world go round, different from how many likes you have received for your latest dance on TikTok. It’s a neat slice of reality, if ever there was.

Lyn_Sey returns with another delicate ballad, one driven by spiralling guitars and anthemic high points in the form of Remember You, followed by the wailing harmonica and kick drum stomp of The Ghost of James Dean. Here, Durango McMurphy blends Springsteen-esque lyrics with country licks and soulful vocal washes.

Let There Be Love sees Linda Marks remind us that even in the modern age, it is love that conquers all; hers is a style that evokes folk icons such as Joni Mitchell, the delicacy of her gently picked guitar matched by her crystalline voice.

As we have already seen with King Brewster, roots music has always been an excellent vehicle for historical narratives, and Johnny Has Gone For A Soldier sees Ann M. Wolf blend folk and rock, a song running from mournful violins swirls and chiming mandolin notes to sky searing electric guitars into the ultimate torch song.

Todd Barrow returns to help bring the album to its conclusion with West Texas Wind, a poetic evocation of the beauty of the titular region and, continuing the theme of celebrating the south, Lyn_Sey break from the deft and delicate offerings that have gone before and put the album to bed with a glorious and celebratory rocker aptly titled Southern To The Bone, which sounds almost like an alternative anthem for those parts.

As always, Bongo Boy has put together an astute album, a country-infused album, an album with a southern swagger, an album that explores roots music in all its various forms. In short, a fantastic album. It’s what they do. And they do it so well.