Bitrate:320K/s
Year:2026
Time:37:19
Size:86,2 MB
Label:Self-Released
Styles:Southern Blues/Americana
Art:Front
Year:2026
Time:37:19
Size:86,2 MB
Label:Self-Released
Styles:Southern Blues/Americana
Art:Front
Tracks Listing:
1. Way Back Home - 2:29
2. Over the Edge - 4:21
3. When You Start Drinking - 3:50
4. Lo and Behold - 3:54
5. Two Blue Diamonds - 4:01
6. Sinking - 1:51
7. Six White Horses - 5:05
8. Like a Stone - 1:33
9. God Is a Cynic - 3:43
10. Until I Do - 3:24
11. There Will Be a Light - 3:06
1. Way Back Home - 2:29
2. Over the Edge - 4:21
3. When You Start Drinking - 3:50
4. Lo and Behold - 3:54
5. Two Blue Diamonds - 4:01
6. Sinking - 1:51
7. Six White Horses - 5:05
8. Like a Stone - 1:33
9. God Is a Cynic - 3:43
10. Until I Do - 3:24
11. There Will Be a Light - 3:06
Intimate and Powerful Southern Blues From Northern Ireland.
After first being introduced to it by my friend, the late lamented Bap Kennedy; I’ve had a soft spot for the vastly underrated Northern Irish music scene for nigh on 20 years now.
One of my favourite discoveries was the band The 2:19; arguably the best pub-rock/R&B band I never got to see.
While the band are on something of a hiatus; Chris Chalmers and Marty Young have taken a new left of centre direction on this powerful release.
The title track, the crunchy and spine tingling, Way Back Home opens proceedings with the pair diving headlong into their love of Southern Blues on a punchy song drenched in harmonica and spooky organ (Paul Winn of DC Blues, and organ from Marty Young).
I’ve always gauged albums by the ability of an opening track being able to attract my attention; and Way Back Home certainly does that.
The mood quickly changes for Track 2, Over The Edge, a beautifully charminglaid back Bluesy love song full of steel guitar and a lilt in Chalmers’ voice that reminds me of latter day Chris Rea; the way he uses words and tones to squeeze your heartstrings with a velvet glove.
It’s not made clear which if any of the songs are based on real people and events; as everything, right from that powerful opener, sound deeply personal and ‘real,’ not least When You Start Drinking which left my mouth agape the first couple of times I played it. Sung in the first person about a lover/partner with a ‘drinking problem’ that they won’t admit to; as the singer pleads with them to give up and save the relationship.
The song also contains some of my favourite ‘lines’ that I’ve heard in a long time.
“You won’t get no sponsor
You won’t go to AA
Don’t come asking for my kidneys when it all goes astray!”
There are plenty more couplets I wanted to quote; but I’ll leave it to you to discover them, and more yourself.
These deeply personal songs all sound as if Chalmers has been hoarding them forever, not least the haunting love song Two Blue Diamonds and the darkly charming Until I Do both of which feature some exquisite acoustic guitar playing.
For a deceptively ‘simple’ album; Chalmers and Young take us on something of an emotional and musical rollercoaster ride on an album that isn’t afraid to juxtapose the heartbreaking Six White Horses between another crusty Southern Blues in Sinking and Like a Stone that sounds as if it should be played at a New Orleans wake!
Obviously all music is subjective and your pleasure is dictated by the mood you, as the listener is in … which brings me to my Favourite song the finale, There Will Be a Light, a hymnal that features sublime backing vocals from Suzy Coyle and some very church like organ playing by John McCulloughn; on a song that sounds hugely influenced by Sam Cooke if I dare say.
That beauty is pipped at the post by the splendid God Is a Cynic; in many ways a ‘song of our times’ that sounds like a co-write between Leonard Cohen and Randy Newman … and again, sung by Chris Rea.
While many, if not all these songs are ‘sad’ in content; but that doesn’t stop the album being a ‘must listen’ exercise, especially if you’re going through your own ‘issues’ then it’s the perfect accompaniment to a strong cup of coffee and packet of Hob Nobs (https://rockingmagpie.wordpress.com).
After first being introduced to it by my friend, the late lamented Bap Kennedy; I’ve had a soft spot for the vastly underrated Northern Irish music scene for nigh on 20 years now.
One of my favourite discoveries was the band The 2:19; arguably the best pub-rock/R&B band I never got to see.
While the band are on something of a hiatus; Chris Chalmers and Marty Young have taken a new left of centre direction on this powerful release.
The title track, the crunchy and spine tingling, Way Back Home opens proceedings with the pair diving headlong into their love of Southern Blues on a punchy song drenched in harmonica and spooky organ (Paul Winn of DC Blues, and organ from Marty Young).
I’ve always gauged albums by the ability of an opening track being able to attract my attention; and Way Back Home certainly does that.
The mood quickly changes for Track 2, Over The Edge, a beautifully charminglaid back Bluesy love song full of steel guitar and a lilt in Chalmers’ voice that reminds me of latter day Chris Rea; the way he uses words and tones to squeeze your heartstrings with a velvet glove.
It’s not made clear which if any of the songs are based on real people and events; as everything, right from that powerful opener, sound deeply personal and ‘real,’ not least When You Start Drinking which left my mouth agape the first couple of times I played it. Sung in the first person about a lover/partner with a ‘drinking problem’ that they won’t admit to; as the singer pleads with them to give up and save the relationship.
The song also contains some of my favourite ‘lines’ that I’ve heard in a long time.
“You won’t get no sponsor
You won’t go to AA
Don’t come asking for my kidneys when it all goes astray!”
There are plenty more couplets I wanted to quote; but I’ll leave it to you to discover them, and more yourself.
These deeply personal songs all sound as if Chalmers has been hoarding them forever, not least the haunting love song Two Blue Diamonds and the darkly charming Until I Do both of which feature some exquisite acoustic guitar playing.
For a deceptively ‘simple’ album; Chalmers and Young take us on something of an emotional and musical rollercoaster ride on an album that isn’t afraid to juxtapose the heartbreaking Six White Horses between another crusty Southern Blues in Sinking and Like a Stone that sounds as if it should be played at a New Orleans wake!
Obviously all music is subjective and your pleasure is dictated by the mood you, as the listener is in … which brings me to my Favourite song the finale, There Will Be a Light, a hymnal that features sublime backing vocals from Suzy Coyle and some very church like organ playing by John McCulloughn; on a song that sounds hugely influenced by Sam Cooke if I dare say.
That beauty is pipped at the post by the splendid God Is a Cynic; in many ways a ‘song of our times’ that sounds like a co-write between Leonard Cohen and Randy Newman … and again, sung by Chris Rea.
While many, if not all these songs are ‘sad’ in content; but that doesn’t stop the album being a ‘must listen’ exercise, especially if you’re going through your own ‘issues’ then it’s the perfect accompaniment to a strong cup of coffee and packet of Hob Nobs (https://rockingmagpie.wordpress.com).
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