Album review: DREW HOLCOMB AND THE NEIGHBORS – Good Light

DREW HOLCOMB AND THE NEIGHBORS - Good Light

Magnolia Music [Release date 26.08.13]

Being something of a female vocalist ‘junkie’ I was rather hoping Drew was the blonde on the album cover. But it turns out that’s Drew’s wife and band mate Ellie. Drew’s the foot-clapping guy who looks like Alexei Sayle.

For those not in the ‘know’ (and I count myself amongst them), Drew is an Americana singer songwriter who grew up in Memphis, but who now works out of Nashville and whose first album ‘Washed In Blue’ (2005) got a considerable boost with a number of TV placements on Army Wives, United States of Tara, and The Cleaner.

He might have a Divinity Masters degree from St Andrews, Scotland, but his dissertation on ‘Springsteen and American Redemptive Imagination’ illustrates where his heart lies and since 2005 the band have established themselves in the American heartland as a popular indie act selling more than 75,000 records and playing more than 1500 dates, touring alongside the likes of The Avett Brothers, Ryan Adams and Los Lobos.

With other major TV placements on the series like House and One Tree Hill, you could argue that Drew Holcomb And The Neighbors’ profile should be higher than it is as he they release their sixth album – Good Light, recorded live at Argent Studios, Memphis.

But that middle-America mainstream singer songwriter market can be a hard nut to crack although Good Light gives it a damn good shot with a style that melds elements of Springsteen, Ryan Adams (circa Gold) and Bruce Hornsby, albeit with a slight contemporary twist.

More placements undoubtedly beckon, and with songs like ‘Another Man’s Shoes’, America could well take to Drew Holcomb with open arms. But Good Light could prove to be a tad too schmaltzy for British / European tastes. ***

Review by Pete Whalley

Featured Artist: JOSH TAERK

Since early 2020 Josh has been entertaining us with exclusive monthly live sessions, streamed via Facebook.
In 2023 he signed a recording deal with Sony in Canada and released a new single on 15 September.

Next session: Sunday 1 December

Check out videos here: https://www.facebook.com/getreadytorockradio

David Randall presents a weekly show on Get Ready to ROCK! Radio, Sundays at 22:00 GMT, repeated on Mondays and Fridays), when he invites listeners to ‘Assume The Position’. The show signposts forthcoming gigs and tours and latest additions at getreadytorock.com. First broadcast on 3 November 2024.

UK Blues Broadcaster of the Year (2020 and 2021 Finalist) Pete Feenstra presents his weekly Rock & Blues Show on Tuesday at 19:00 GMT as part of a five hour blues rock marathon “Tuesday is Bluesday at GRTR!”. The show is repeated on Wednesdays at 22:00, Fridays at 20:00). This show was first broadcast 29 October 2024.

How to Listen Live?

Click the programming image at the top of the page (top right of page if using desktop)

Listen via Windows Media Player. Click or tap here and “open file”
Listen via other media player (eg. VLC) Click or tap here and “open file”

Get Ready to ROCK! Radio is also in iTunes under Internet Radio/Classic Rock
Listen in via the Tunein app and search for “Get Ready to ROCK!” and save as favourite.

More information and links at our radio website where you can listen again to shows via the presenter pages: getreadytorockradio.com

Power Plays w/c 11 November 2024

ARCANE MOON Hello Sun (indie)
S8NT ELEKTRIC XTC (Long Branch Records)
ARCANA KINGS Here We Go (Curtain Call Records)
KLOGR face The Unknown (Zeta Factory)
BEYOND UNBROKEN Dance With The Dead (FiXT)
REVENGIN Decadent Feeling (Wormholedeath)

Featured Albums w/c 11 November 2024

09:00-12:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Rock)
12:00-13:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Melodic Hard Rock)
14:00-16:00 The Best of 2003-2023 (Singer Songwriter)