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Happy
Trails
AIN’T NO PRESENT LIKE THE TIME
Lopsided Records LRC106
*****
Each
song is individually brilliant and performed in a style
which is very much their own
This
Kent-based outfit comprises Al Clark, Trevor Stephenson
and Ian Balchin, a trio of extremely talented artists
who have served up a humdinger of a main course which
is tasty to gorge on.
I
found myself enjoying each and every one of the fourteen
songs, which is very rare to come across in new albums.
The one which was enjoyed most by yours truly was Little
Old Church by the Road. Sounding as though it’s
taken from a long forgotten western, the duel harmonies
on this are simply delightful. It is music like this which
reminds you why you love country music. Just as good is
Who Shot a Hole in my Sombrero. With a comical opening,
it possesses a Cajun feel due to Chris Taylor’s
accordion but it keeps true to its roots by including
a style of picking and harmonica playing which is bona
fide country.
Gigging
frequently, I hope to catch this band live for the perfect
sound they create is something which must be extremely
awesome to see in the flesh. RH
Maverick
Magazine – Jan 2011
Happy
Trails...AINT NO PRESENT LIKE THE TIME |
|
|
| 1. Your
Mama ain't Wrong |
(Diane
Craig) |
| 2. Lone
Star Swing |
(Stephanie
Davis) |
| 3. It's
Mighty Nice to Meet Ya |
(The
Hackensaw Boys) |
| 4. Leavin'
Alabama |
(Diane
Craig) |
| 5. I
Hear Them All |
(Secor
/ Williams) |
| 6. Gonna
be Good News When I Die |
(C.Sizemore
/ M. Despain) |
| 7. Over
The Trail |
(Elton
Britt / Fraley) |
| 8. Play
Your Troubles Away |
(Tom
Peloso) |
| 9. Hambone |
(Al.
Clark) |
| 10.
Little Old Church by The Road |
(C.
Sizemore / Jaymore) |
| 11.
Ride On |
(Jimmy
McCarthy) |
| 12.
Who Shot a Hole in my Sombrero |
(Leeds
/ Hayes) |
| 13.
Devil on The Plough |
(Charlie
Sizemore) |
| 14. Quality
Shoes |
(Mark
Knopfler) |
|
 |
Happy
Trails
White Sands
*****
The ultimate in feel-good southern twang
For those that have yet to discover Happy Trails, they are
a Kent-based trio whose energetic blend of country reflects
their passion for the music of the American South. Al Clarke,
Trevor Stephenson and Ian Balchin have been playing in an
assortment of Cajun, zydeco and blues bands for 20 years,
and now are regular performers in venues across their home
county, including the annual Broadstairs Folk Week.
In this their third album, Happy Trails have served up 13
storming performances that are sure to win them new fans
right across the country.
There is quite simply not a bad track on this album, but
highlights include an energetic rendition of That’s
What I Like About the South, first recorded by Bob Wills
in the 1940s, and an evocative take on Stephanie Davis’s
Diamond O.
The trio also manage to make a couple of light-hearted favourites
their own. Dry Town, a whimsical lament about the search
for a cold beer on a hot, hot day, is delivered with humour
and style. Chris Wall’s Something to Shoot –
about every cowboy’s number one love – also
packs a punch, with great deadpan lines about killing elks
with a hand grenade and then, when they’re all gone,
starting on the Yankees.
The trio also do justice to covers of Wagon Wheel and the
Dixie Chicks’ Goodbye Earl, though the latter perhaps
lacks the feisty spirit of the original.
But the album includes some of their own material, and one
of the real gems is Clarke’s Lucky Day. The tale of
outlaws Joseph and Loretta rollicks along at a cracking
pace; they’ve got no money and another baby on the
way, so what choice do they have but to rob banks? ‘Stayed
in bed all week, making love and talking about how we’d
spend the money, who says crime doesn’t pay?’
says Joe. The exhilarating conclusion sees the pair busted
by the police and running for the hills, praying for another
lucky day. This is a song I could put on replay and sing
along to until my neighbours take out an injunction.
All in all, then, an irresistible collection, and one that
should win these guys the far higher profile they deserve.
MAVERICK MAGAZINE - SEPT 2008
|
Happy
Trails... White Sands |
|
|
| 1. Thats What
I Like About The South |
(Bob Wills) |
| 2. She Don't Care
About Me |
(Bruce Robson) |
| 3. Diamond 0 |
(Stephanie
Davis) |
| 4. Dry Town |
(G. Welch
& D. Rawlings) |
| 5. Something to
Shoot |
(Chris Wall) |
| 6. Shes Supposed
to be Mine |
(Al. Clarke) |
| 7. Wagon Wheel |
(R. Zimmerman) |
| 8. No Worries |
(Mike West) |
| 9. Goodbye Earl |
(Dixie Chicks) |
| 10. Lucky Day |
(Al. Clarke) |
| 11. Santa Fe |
(Ian Balchin) |
| 12. Green Grass |
(Al Clarke) |
| 13. Memphis, Texas |
(Chip Taylor) |
|
|
|
Happy
Trails CD 1 |
Happy
Trails CD 2 |
|
|
|
|
| 1. The man who could
fall backwards |
(M.West) |
1. Love gets in the
way |
(Al Clark) |
| 2. A little country |
(M.West) |
2. Clyde |
(J.J. Cale) |
| 3. Big rock candy mountain |
(Trad.) |
3. Talk to me |
(Al Clark) |
| 4. Annabelle |
(G.Welch) |
4. Girls |
(Ian Balchin) |
| 5. Tennessee wig walk |
(Trad.) |
5. Les debris |
(Phil Lee) |
| 6. Peteluma |
(N.Greenbaum) |
6. Elise |
(Mike West) |
| 7. Father of all waters |
(I.Baichin) |
7. Pretty senorita |
(Al Clark) |
| 8. Kentucky moon |
(B.Hally) |
8. I've been to georgia |
(C. Cody) |
| 9. Old Joe Clark |
(Trad.) |
9. Whatever it takes |
(Happy Trails) |
| 10. Red clay halo |
(G.Welch) |
10. I wish I had a dollar |
(Ian Balchin,Happy
Trails) |
| 11. Man of consistant
sorrow |
(Trad.) |
11. Pancho's lament |
(Tom Waits) |
| 12. Cow cow yiki |
(H.Ledbetter) |
12. Secret sign |
(Al Clark) |
| 13. Home town blues |
(S.Earle) |
13. Pennies from heaven |
(J. Burke &
A. Johnston) |
| 14. Over the river |
(G.Gritzbach) |
|
|
| 15. Happy trails |
(D.Evans) |
|
|
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