Album Review: Tommy Roe – Devil’s Soul Pile
When you hear Tommy Roe‘s name, you can’t help but remember “Dizzy” and/or “Sheila,” two of his hits from the 1960s. And that was a long time ago. His latest, Devil’s Soul Pile (huh?) is a breezy, pleasant midtempo affair that serves to remind fans that he’s still creating new material, rather than (only) working the nostalgia circuit.
By definition, Devil’s Soul Pile is a somewhat musically anonymous affair: there are no musician credits, other than Roe’s liner note message thanking “all the engineers, singers and musicians.” I could tell you that the album was recorded in Nashville, but a few seconds of listening would have told you the very same thing. Not a note is out of place; whether that’s a good or bad thing is up to the listener. But in contrast to the music, the lyrical subject matter on most all of the songs has a nicely personal bent: not so much as to make one squirm, but Roe definitely scores points for aiming for what’s real and true. And on “Without Her,” Roe suggests a sort of Nashville version of The Raspberries at their most sentimental.
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About the Author
Bill Kopp
With a background in marketing and advertising, Bill Kopp got his professional start writing for Trouser Press. After a stint as Editor-in-chief for a national music magazine, Bill launched Musoscribe in 2009, and has published new content every business day since then (and every single day since 2018). The 4500-plus interviews, essays, and reviews on Musoscribe reflect Bill's keen interest in American musical forms, most notably rock, jazz, and soul. His work features a special emphasis on reissues and vinyl. Bill's work also appears in many other outlets both online and in print. He regularly hosts lecture/discussions on artists and albums of historical importance (including monthly events Music to Your Ears and Music Movie Mondays), and is a frequent guest on music-focused radio programs and podcasts. In Spring 2023 he taught a history of Rock 'n' Roll at UNC Asheville's College for Seniors. He also researches and authors liner notes for album reissues -- more than 30 to date -- and co-produced a reissue of jazz legend Julian "Cannonball" Adderley's final album. His first book, Reinventing Pink Floyd: From Syd Barrett to The Dark Side of the Moon was published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2018, and in paperback in 2019. His second book, Disturbing the Peace: 415 Records and the Rise of New Wave, was published in 2021 by HoZac Books. His third book, What's the Big Idea: Great Concept Albums will be published in 2024. Read even more about him here.