Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside - Dirty Radio

by Malcolm Carter

published: 27 / 10 / 2011

Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside - Dirty Radio

Label: Fargo Records
Format: CD

Forceful second album from genre-defying Portland, Oregon-based group, Sallie Ford and the Sound Outide

Review

Finally a female singer who doesn’t sound like any other and who isn’t afraid to push boundaries, dip a foot in different genres and yet manages to keep the songs structured and compelling. While much is going to be made of Sallie’s vocals, which let’s face it, are not only distinctive and appealing at the same time but which in today's music scene are rare we should also make an early mention of the band backing her on these eleven songs, the Sound Outside. I confess to knowing little about this Portland-based outfit but they kick up a storm behind Sallie on each and every one of these tracks. For a three-piece they make one hell of a full sound. Guitarist Jeffrey Munger leaves his mark in no uncertain terms on this collection; he’s obviously a name to watch. But with taking all the lead vocals the attention is going to fall squarely on Sallie Ford’s shoulders and with a voice as powerful as this girl has she deserves every accolade which will surely come her way. “When I turn on the radio/It all sounds the same/What have these people done to music/They just don’t care anymore” are the first words Sallie sings on the opening song, ‘I Swear’ and you know that not only is this talented singer out to change things but she’s going to succeed as well. It’s a powerful opening gambit and it works; she grabs your attention with this retro-sounding song and her vocals leave you in no doubt that your radio will never sound the same again. It’s no fluke either. The following song, ‘Danger’ carries on in much the same fashion, although Sallie could be described as more of a wailer than a singer she never once loses sight of the melody and her vocals make for compelling listening, and her powerful delivery suits these songs just perfectly. By taking elements of almost every musical genre and mixing them into almost each and every individual song (Sallie obviously doesn’t follow the rules; there’s no blues song, no rockabilly song and no jazz song as such, Sallie and her band take features of all these genres and mix them into most every song) you’re never likely to lose interest for as long as ‘Dirty Radio’ is playing. This is music that demands you to listen; music that will move you and that you will continue to play for years to come. It’s timeless. By mixing the old with the new Sallie has created music that at times will leave you breathless. Think of any female artist who used to belt out her songs with unbridled passion given a new lease of life. There are dozens of singers from the soul and jazz worlds who are all over some of these songs but try naming one of them and it’s impossible as Sallie always injects that special sound of her own into her vocals which is just one reason why she will capture you. Sallie really is in a class of her own vocally. It’s pointless even trying to pick out highlights but a good place to start, apart from that opening song, is with ‘Against The Law’ as not only does it showcase just how powerful and exceptional Sallie is as a singer but that particular song also shows the band at its tightest, with Munger illustrating just how talented he is on the guitar. It has an almost voodoo feel to it and, not for the first and last time, one can hear the influence of Tom Waits in Sallie’s work. It’s mysterious, compelling listening. ‘Thirteen Years Old’ begins in a more poppy style and while it is lighter in mood than many of the songs here it shows yet another side to Sallie and the boys and her vocals on this particular track are really affecting. ‘Dirty Radio’ takes in so many musical styles and mixes old sounds with new, often within the same song, which could have made the album an unlistenable experience but Sallie Ford and the Sound Outside have created a stunning set of songs that you will never tire of. Sallie has a voice that really does need to be heard to be believed; I’ve resisted likening her vocals to those of any other female singer for two reasons, there are few that just now have the power and ability to even get close to the sound she produces and I can see her being hailed as the new version of a much-missed recently departed female singer when Sallie is obviously so much more than that. ‘Dirty Radio’ is one of the biggest surprises of the year and introduces us to a singer with not only a style of her own, but with the talent to take it a lot further.

Track Listing:-

1 I Swear
2 Danger
3 Cage
4 Poison Milk
5 Against The Law
6 Thirteen Years Old
7 This Crew
8 Write Me A Letter
9 Where Did You Go?
10 Miles
11 Nightmares