George St. Clair is an American folk singer and songwriter from Austin, Texas who has been living in the United Kingdom for several years to practice his daily profession of archaeologist and anthropologist. In his songs, the life of the past and of today is sung in simple and understandable terms.
The scene in which all these stories take place can be effortlessly devised by the listener himself, whether it is somewhere in the high mountains of West Texas or in the soothing surroundings of the vast meadow landscapes or the dry desert areas of his homeland. On his latest album “Ballads Of Captivity And Freedom” he brings twelve folk and country songs in which his new world in London seems to be covered in a few songs.
Opening song “Tularosa” (see acoustic live version on the video) sets the tone for what we are all offered afterwards on this great CD. George St.Clair has received instrumental assistance from album producer and bassist Ben Bernstein, keyboardist Kirby Hammel, guitarist and pedal steel player Dan Lebowitz and drummer Mike Stevens, while backing vocals were provided by Maya Abramson and Mark Estall. Together they created a broad orchestrated record that sounds very smoothly.
Other songs on “Ballads Of Captivity And Freedom” that have charmed us are “The Places Where They Prayed”, “Autumn 1889”, the cheerful up-tempo and “handclapsed” “Corridors” and country rock tune “Lie To Them”. Furthermore, it is also enjoying the songs “Cimarrones”, “New Mexico”, “Pedro Paramo” and album-closing “Talkin Mesquite”, inspired by the native country of his mother Mexico.
His Texan musical examples Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark certainly have their influences in the music of this troubadour George St.Clair and that will remain very nice references until further notice. Whether he will be able to follow in the footsteps of these legendary artists with this record, the future should prove.
For more information or to order BALLADS OF CAPTIVITY AND FREEDOM please visit www.georgestclairmusic.com or http://smarturl.it/GeorgeStClairBCF
To order BALLADS OF CAPTIVITY AND FREEDOM from Bandcamp please visit georgestclair.bandcamp.com
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