09 May2016
Written by Editor. Posted in Contests
Runs May 9-13th.
There’s an authenticity to country music, borne out of hot days in tractor cabs, out of callused hands plucking guitar strings, and the crunch of boots on gravel. No other art form puts more stock in authenticity than country music, and there’s never been any question about that with Blake Reid. Just get the native of Cremona, Alberta talking about his upbringing and you’ll hear more than enough proof. In fact, there’s a story that in many ways best sums up Reid’s latest sophomore album, Rust, released October 30/15. It goes something like this: One of his cherished possessions is his ‘72 Chevy pickup, transformed from the farm fuel truck to his first set of wheels. Reid’s son commented that the old truck should be ‘hot-rodded’ and repainted. Reid’s response? Every dent and scratch tells a small story of life on the farm. The worn paint on the door is where his grandfather’s elbow always rested when he drove with his arm out the window. Covering it up would erase part of his story. Rust is brimming with similar tales, showcasing Reid’s status as a true workingman’s poet, following in the footsteps of Merle Haggard and Tom T. Hall. At the same time, Reid is no traditionalist. The album’s first single, “Sounds Like A Song,” is the kind of hard-edged, instantly memorable track perfectly suited for a Saturday night play list, or as something to sing along with to make that long drive go a little bit faster.