WILL KIMBROUGH
SIDESHOW LOVE
DAPHNE RECORDS
WHEN YOUR LOVING COMES AROUND–LET THE BIG WORLD SPIN–SIDESHOW LOVE–SOULFULLY–HOME ECONOMICS–I WANT TOO MUCH–DANCE LIKE GROWNUPS DANCE–HAS ANYBODY SEEN MY HEART–I CAN COUNT ON YOU–ALL WE CAN DO IS LOVE–WHO BELIEVES IN YOU–EMOTION SICKNESS
We have been Will Kimbrough fans since the beginning and his Will and the Bushmen days. His collaboration with Tommy Womack and Mike Grimes as The Bis-Quits featured a brilliant rocker that rolled over Beethoven, Chuck Berry, and the world-renowned cellist whose name serves as the song’s title, “Yo Yo Ma.” The DADDY live album also produced a great anthem for the Eighties, “I Miss Ronald Reagan.’
It has been a while since Will’s last solo effort, but February 18 will mark the release of his eighth solo album, “Sideshow Love,” and we were more than eager to review this fine set. As a man who prides himself in writing at least one song every day to stay sharp, when it came time to pull material for this album there was a plethora of things to choose from. And, this album also has a recurring theme of love running thru it, literally taking a relationship full circle, during the course of the twelve songs, from its infancy to, sometimes, the bitter end.
Blues fans will appreciate Will’s dobro and slide work in addition to all other things stringed herein. The set starts at that “empty magic moment when Your Loving Comes Around,” which features Lisa Oliver Gray on backing vocals. The title cut traces “a man like me loving a woman like you” until the whole thing morphs into a circus sideshow, punctuated by Will’s fluid slide runs. The beautiful “I Want Too Much” traces a man’s desire for love that is unattainable, while those who have loved and lost are encouraged to never give up, and to “Dance Like Grownups Dance.”
We had two favorites, too. “Home Economics” takes a look at just what passes for alluring to the opposite sexes. It is set over a ragtimey, banjo-and-guitar arrangement with a marching beat. The set closes with an affirmation of better days ahead after love has “sunk like a rocket” and you’re finally able to “kiss that Emotion Sickness goodbye.”
Will Kimbrough continues to turn out well-crafted albums of stories-in-song that not only touch your soul, but make you think as well. “Sideshow Love” brings Will’s musicianship and songwriting squarely into the spotlight! Until next time…Sheryl and Don Crow, The Nashville Blues Society.
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