Gary Hall - Winning Ways On Losing Streaks

  by Malcolm Carter

published: 29 / 6 / 2013

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It has been twenty-four years since Gary Hall released his first album. During this time the Lancashire born singer-songwriter has been involved in nearly a dozen albums either solo or with a band, moved to the States and back, set up his own Voodoo Rooms Studios in England and toured extensively. Oh, and by releasing his latest album which was recorded at that studio Hall has made what will no doubt be labelled the Americana album of 2013 at the end of this year. It is a long, winding journey that Hall has taken so far; suffice to say that Hall has always been at the forefront of Englanders who capture the essence and feel of the Americana genre better than many of those who live across the water. It is not hard to hear why Hall has been attracting favourable reviews through the years. A glance at the instruments employed on ‘Winning Ways On Losing Streaks’ reads like an Americana fan's Christmas list; dobro, lap steel, banjo, mandolin, electric slide and strings all flesh out Hall’s sound along with the usual culprits of acoustic guitar and harmonica, and that is before we’ve mentioned Hall’s powerful, expressive vocals which, shorn of any idiosyncrasies, is an honest, believable voice that simply draws you into his songs. And what story songs they are; ten Hall originals (including two co-writes) and a cover of the Bob Dylan song ‘Wagon Wheel’, which was completed by Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show and which closed their debut album. Hall’s version is more edgy, has more depth than the OCMS version and adds more than a little soul to the song; while it has become a cliché to say such things, Hall really has made this song his own and this is the version to go for in future. Hall though demonstrates just how talented a songwriter he is on the song that follows ‘Wagon Wheel’. The fourth song in is titled ‘I Can’t Believe She’s Gone’, It is two minutes forty-eight of loss captured in a song dripping with emotion, the sparse musical backing matching the sadness in Hall’s world-weary vocals perfectly. Hall packs so much emotion into his vocals, he sings it from the heart and it will move grown men to tears. That one song is worth the price of the album alone. The work of Kris Kristofferson comes to mind while listening to this song, certainly not a bad thing but it has to be said that it’s one of the rare times while listening to Hall that you’ll recall other artists. Although, he is breaking no new ground musically, Hall and his band have firmly put their own mark on their take on Americana. Hall covers a lot of ground on ‘Winning Ways On Losing Streaks’. Folk, blues and country are all mixed in with Hall’s classic rock and roots sound to keep the listener interested, and sometimes Hall mixes them all up in one song. The opening cut, ‘The Feel Good Factor Blues’, straddles a few camps, and is an excellent way to introduce what follows by covering all that is good about Hall and his band in one song. “I’ve been higher than Simon Cowell’s waistband and as low as my opinion of him” is a line that appears less than a minute into the song, and if that doesn’t break out a smile even on the darkest of days then there’s little hope for you. It’s pretty impossible for Hall to fail after opening the album like that. Not only one of the most infectious tunes heard in a while but by injecting humour so naturally, Hall starts the album on a positive note. Hall immediately takes the country/folk route after that song, ‘A Country Mile from Shore’ follows and, although the bleakness of the song is lifted by the banjo-drenched backing, it’s Hall’s lines such as “some cracks in my foundations started showing/Till I learned how to bend instead of break” that make the song. Hall really is a brilliant lyricist. ‘Winning Ways On Losing Streaks’ is one of those rare albums where every song shines. It’s not an album where you skip over tracks. Each and every one deserves and demands to be heard and it’s truly an album that simply has to be played through from beginning to end. And then again. Just now ‘Stick Around Bojangles’ is the favourite around these parts, which for obvious reasons brings back memories of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s ‘Mr. Bojangles’. The last time the album played it was ‘Red Dirt Roads’ a country-infused ballad the likes of which we don’t hear enough of these days. The time before that the funky blues of the six minute slide guitar feast ‘One Step of the Blues’ was the one. There’s is just so much to love here. If Gary Hall is new to you then check out ‘I Can’t Believe She’s Gone’ though, and marvel at how Hall wrings every last bit of emotion out of every word. It’s a classic. ‘Winning Ways On Losing Streaks’ is not just a good album. It’s a bloody great collection of songs written and performed by one of the UK’s most talented musicians. You’ll know that if you are familiar with Hall’s past work; if not prepare to make the discovery of the year.

Track Listing:-

1 The Feel Good Factor Blues
2 A Country Mile from Shore
3 Wagon Wheel
4 I Can't Believe She's Gone
5 The Enemy Within
6 Stick Around Bojangles
7 A Small Price to Pay
8 Red Dirt Roads
9 Still My Reason Why
10 One Step Ahead of the Blues
11 Long Mynd Mornings

Band Links:-

http://www.garyhallmusic.co.uk/

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