Kate Campbell – Wandering Strange CD

AllMusic Review

Wandering Strange Review by Thom Jurek

This set of modern spirituals by songwriter Kate Campbell, who hit critical pay dirt with Moonpie Dreams, is a strange road to travel down. Using the Baptist hymns of her girlhood as a backdrop for inspiration, Campbell weaves a set of singalong morality tales backed by guitar, keyboards, bass, and drums. Some of the songs hark back to the 18th and 19th centuries, one is by Gordon Lightfoot, and the rest are originals. There are twinges of greasy Southern R&B woven through so they become a nearly seamless whole. Each listener will have to decide whether this is a good or bad thing. There is something very self-conscious about these songs, such as "Come Thou Fount" (circ. 1758). It tries so hard to be both processional and contemporary that it comes off as neither, just an oversung spiritual. The same goes for "There Is a Fountain" (circ. 1751), though this one tries to be a country song as well -- at least until the electric guitars kick in full tilt and it becomes a mess. The finest moment here is a track Campbell co-wrote with Memphis great Spooner Oldham. His understatement in the arrangement is what the entire record needed. The story, one of forgiveness and mercy, brings the strongest parts of Campbell's big voice to the fore without allowing her the room to drown the musicians out of the mix. The B3 organ and Steve Cropper-esque guitar parts make the song slide and glide over the rhythm section's laid-back easy groove. It's got more soul and R&B vibe than anything else here. But that's not enough to pull it up to the high bar of Campbell's earlier work. It's an interesting experiment, but a failed one. One side note: high marks -- very high, in fact -- go to cover artist Todd Greene, whose work might make you miss LP covers more than ever.

663292505020

EM-25050-2

Eminent Records, 2001

USA

Good condition / NM

C18