2017 – Ruf Records
Release Date : Nov. 03, 2017
By Phillip Smith;
Nov 18, 2017
With Belle of
the West, Samantha Fish continues to knock my socks off with her
music. Since 2011, this fierce
guitar-slinging singer-songwriter from Kansas City has released five spectacular
albums. Belle of the West is the second one of 2017. In March, Fish turned a lot of heads
with the fabulous Chills and Fever album,
which focused mainly on R&B deep cuts from the Sixties and Seventies. Belle
of the West, takes a more rootsy route, with Fish exploring the
nooks and crannies of Americana. Recorded
at Zebra Ranch Studio in Independence, Mississippi, this album again
reunites Fish with Luther Dickinson ( North Mississippi
Allstars, South Memphis String Band) for his production expertise as
well as guitar and mandolin prowess. Also appearing on the album is Jimbo Mathus
(Squirrel Nut Zippers, South Memphis String Band) on Fender
Rhodes piano and harmonica, Lightnin’ Malcom on guitar/harmonica , Amy
LaVere on upright bass, Lillie Mae on violin, Tikyra Jackson
and Trina Raimy on drums, and Sharde Thomas on fife and drums.
Powered by a big bowlful of moxie, Samantha
ushers the listener into “American Dream”.
The violin accompaniment is the cherry on top of this swirly drum and
fife driven masterpiece. “Blood in the Water” cleverly follows right behind,
slowly accumulating a tense and unsettling vibe with its lulling rhythm. Fish’s exquisite vocals highlight “Cowtown”,
a riveting country-fried toast to escaping the clutches of small-town living. Loaded with gobs of twangy guitar and a rocking
piano backer, this sticks its landing as one of my favorites. “Daughters” is an especially captivating song. It is fabulously written and filled with emotion.
Title-track, “Belle of the West”, penned by Jimbo
Mathus has a strong Willie Nelson air about it and is a nostalgic call-back
to the golden era of country music’s story-telling songs. I adore Samantha’s cover of the RL
Burnside classic “Poor Black Mattie” too. It’s an absolute pleasure to hear Dickinson
record the song again. It was one of
my favorite cuts off the Shake Hands With
Shorty album he recorded with the North Mississippi Allstars seventeen
years ago.
Samantha
Fish has once again brilliantly defied those who would
pigeonhole her as one particular type of artist. The well from which her talents are drawn
runs incredibly deep. As far as I’m
concerned, this record, “Belle of the West” is destined to be an instant classic.
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Links to other PhillyCheeze Reviews featuring Samantha Fish
PhillyCheeze Album Review : Samantha Fish - Chills & Fever
PhillyCheeze Concert Review and Photos : Samantha Fish - Live @ Campbell Steele Gallery :
3/18/16
