Jeffrey Foucalt
Salt as Wolves
http://www/jeffreyfoucalt.com
Following one of
the most somnolescent songs I’ve heard in a long while, Jeffrey Foucalt’s Salt As Wolves develops into a very
enjoyable country/folk album in the John Mellencamp vein (fortunately, not in
the recent and execrable “John Deere 3:16 style… jeez does that song suck.) Solid yet simple guitar work, basic drum and
bass time-keeping and a mature, slightly raspy singer combine to deliver twelve
tunes with more real country in them than the entire Country Top 40 you’ll hear
on any contemporary country station in any urban center in America.
While my own
personal tastes run to a more up-tempo style of music, I totally dig what
Foucalt is trying to do here. Presenting
us with a roots-based country album really highlights the garish un-rooted and
derivative nature of the current crop of country music stars.
As mentioned in
the intro, the opening track, “Des Moines” could put a platoon of seventh grade
ADD sufferers to sleep. However, “Rico”
and “I Left This Town” pick up the pace, to where “I Left This Town” could
easily become a minor radio hit. “I Love
You (and You are a Fool)” drops the energy back down to Quaaludes level, and
most of the rest of the album remains at somewhere along the slow ambling pace
reminiscent of some of the more bluesy country tunes of the late 60s and early
70s.
This is not the
album for late-night drives in the country – you’ll fall asleep and drive into
a cow. This is perfect, however, for an
afternoon drinking beer and sitting around doing as little as possible as the
sun bakes you to a crisp. If the slower
side of Mel Tillis, Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson and Conway Twitty appeal to
you, you’ll enjoy this music. If your
enjoyment of country music doesn’t go much further back than Garth Brooks… don’t
bother unless you’re willing to hear what real country music should sound like.
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