(Roller Rink Rampage Records)
You probably lost faith in music long ago. Yes, it's become harder than ever to find something that'll make your hairs stand up. If you'd been in Tyler Park one night last summer, though, you could've found religion in the music of one man, Joe Manning.
As he sang songs in the park's tunnel, Manning assumed several archetypes: preacher, prophet, gambler, seducer, lover and mourner. His music seems to have been born at the weird American crossroads where the blues, folk and bluegrass meet and merge after a few drinks. Recording outdoors for the resulting album, The Chapel of the Bear, was a great idea; the creatures constantly chirping in the background will appeal to some but might prove too distracting to others.
Manning is in his late 20s but aware of what has come before him. An a cappella version of a folk song, "A-Roving on a Winter's Night," compares well to earlier versions although it takes a confident singer to go where the likes of Doc Watson have gone before. His deep voice is rugged and weary, an uncommon beauty unafraid of exposure and judgment. Bruce Springsteen's "Nebraska" album is a clear inspiration, sharing an inventive storytelling style as well as a hushed, sepia-toned sound.
"Fall Easy," a Sunday song, falls short of the Velvet Underground's "Sunday Morning," but not by much. Second Story Man's Carrie Neumayer duets on the opener, "The Storm King & the Queen of Burning Little Hearts," providing the perfect partner for Manning. The sparks generated by the heat between the pair is enough to maintain a campfire all night long.
Louisville owes a debt to whichever time traveler went back to the Gold Rush era and found this guy.
