Singer, songwriter, keyboardist and guitarist Paul Nelson creates rural and sepia moods on this collection of mostly originals. He mixes and matches with Kevin Barry/g-stg, Richard Gates/b, John Sands/dr, Tom Eaton/perc-org, Jeff Oster/tp-fh and other guests. Nelson’s voice and delivery has the feel and attitude of a county festival carney, grizzled in its husky hush, bringing out a slow and undulating read of Johnny Cash’s “I Walk The Line” that is filled with long shadows.
With sliding guitars, he gives a Delta bluesy bible tale of “Go Down Ezekial” and gives a dash of African exotic textures on the title track. Echoey guitars create cloudy and orange sunsets on “Secret” and Color It Blue” with a dash of rocking guitar beats and strings on “Relative Work” and the slow stepping “Silent Majority.” Yarns are spun by this Cumberland Gap’d minstrel.