Sarah Lee Langford and Will Stewart - Bad Luck and Love
by Zena Grieg
published: 20 / 2 / 2023
Label:
Cornelius Chapel Records
Format: CD
intro
Engrossing and tantalizing new album from Alabama singer-songwriters Sarah Lee Langford and Will Stewart
Frequent collaborators Alabama singer-songwriters Sarah Lee Langford and Will Stewart have brought out a new record together, an engrossing bluegrass, country-folk album with Stewart’s darker vocals complemented by Langford’s textured harmonies. Themes of resilience, getting by and exploration abound with an innate sense of place resonating throughout. Songs to listen out for in this nine- track collection include : the opener, the cynical ‘Staring At The Sun’, described by Langford: “Along with everyone who’s ever been burned, I tell myself I’m not going down that road again… this song serves as my very own reminder that risk and reward are two sides of the same coin”; the plaintive ‘Robby’ about a retired rodeo rider, who has only memories to fall back on; the twangy ‘Gunpowder’, underpinned by an ominous steel pedal guitar; the only co-written song, the melancholy waltz and title track on a couple persisting in a loveless marriage for the sake of the children: “This house built on bad luck and love, so we’re hanging on”; and the closer, the bitter ‘False Alarm’ about a disintegrating relationship. Highlighting their strong vocal and lyrical skills, ‘Bad Luck and Love’ is a self-assured record, which coming in at just half an hour, casts a short but tantalizing light on their future potential as a duo.
Track Listing:-
1 Staring At The Sun2 Robby
3 Gunpowder
4 All These Damn Things
5 Sure Is Something
6 Bad Luck & Love
7 Aimless Love
8 Dark Rooms
9 False Alarm
Band Links:-
https://www.facebook.com/sarah.langfordgurganus.5/https://sarahleelangford.bandcamp.com
https://www.willstewartmusic.com/
https://twitter.com/willhstewart
Play in YouTube:-
Have a Listen:-
bandcamp
most viewed articles
current edition
Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies - Sala Apolo, Barcelona, 29/11/2023 and La Paqui, Madrid, 30/11/2023Anthony Phillips - Interview
Difford and Tilbrook - Difford and Tilbrook
Rain Parade - Interview
Oldfield Youth Club - Interview
Autumn 1904 - Interview
Shaw's Trailer Park - Interview
Cafe No. 9, Sheffield and Grass Roots Venues - Comment
Pete Berwick - ‘Too Wild to Tame’: The story of the Boyzz:
James Whild Lea - Interview
most viewed reviews
current edition
Marika Hackman - Big SighSerious Sam Barrett - A Drop of the Morning Dew
Rod Stewart and Jools Holland - Swing Fever
Loves - True Love: The Most of The Loves
Ian M Bailey - We Live in Strange Times
Paul McCartney and Wings - Band on the Run
Autumn 1904 - Tales of Innocence
Banter - Heroes
Roberta Flack - Lost Takes
Posey Hill - No Clear Place to Fall
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart