Album Mini-review: Waiting for Henry — Town Called Patience
File next to: Jayhawks, Wilco, Gin Blossoms
Inside the college rock movement of the 1980s, there was a kind of proto-alt-country vibe that informed later groups like Wilco and Old 97s. There are echoes of that scene in the warm and friendly country-rock of Town Called Patience. Sharp hooks and memorable lead guitar lines provide a sympathetic and effective musical backdrop for the lyrics of Dave Slomin and David Ashdown. Slomin’s radio-ready vocals draw the listener in, and Ashdown’s raspy voice often strikes a world-weary tone on his numbers. The jangle quotient is high on tracks like “Parsippany” and “Could it Be.” The four-piece New Jersey band is aided and abetted in the studio by producer Mitch Easter, who creates a tight and unified (but not glossy) feel for the twelve tunes on this, the group’s follow-up to Ghosts & Compromise, their 2013 debut.
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 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 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 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, will be published in December 2021 by HoZac Books.