Customer Reviews

All Over Creation

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Jason Ringenberg, of the legendary Jason and the Scorchers, has made a name for himself in his own right. As one of the progenitors of the roots rock and alternative country movements, Jason has been called "Nashville's Youngest Legend," the "Godfather of Alt-Country," "Alt-Country's Elder Statesman" (of course when Ringenberg started out there was no such category as alt-country) and even "The Rockinest Folk Singer That Ever Lived." No Depression Magazine, the voice of Alternative Country, described Jason's musical imprint as more vital than either Gram Parson's or Uncle Tupelo's (from whom the magazine takes it's name).

While Ringenberg will always be known as the visionary energetic front man of Jason and the Scorchers-the band that mixed a hard driving blend of rock and roll, country, folk, and punk-it is his ability to communicate sincerity in his music that makes all his work so appealing. It allows him to venture into new places musically while never missing a beat and All Over Creation is no exception. All Over Creation is Jason Ringenberg's follow up to his amazing 2000 solo release, Pocketful of Soul. While Pocketful of Soul was stylistically consistent, with it's gorgeous stripped down acoustic displays of Jason's talent, All Over Creation is exactly as the title implies. Leave it to an artist famous for challenging the system of musical genres to pull off an album of duets and collaborations full of rock and roll, country, folk, and everything in between, in both a coherent and exciting way. This is simply a fantastic album.

What seems clear about this project is that Jason enjoyed making it. The enjoyment of collaboration-writing, playing and recording with Jason's many musical friends is clearly communicated to the listener. Many of the artists performing on this album were, no doubt, directly influenced by Jason. A highlight for Scorchers fans will be the reworking of "Bible And A Gun," originally co-written with Steve Earle for the Scorcher's 1989 Thunder and Fire album. The All Over Creation version has it played as a mournful civil war ballad full of vengeance. Tommy Womack, who co-penned some of the best tracks on the Scorcher's Clear Impetuous Morning album collaborates on a rocking "Too High To See," while the most Scorcheresque song on the disk has to be "One Less Heartache" with The Wildhearts (who, incidentally, have recorded a couple of Scorchers covers). Other highlights include "Honky Tonk Maniac From Mars," "I Dreamed My Baby Came Home," "James Dean's Car," "Erin's Seed," "Last Train to Memphis," and "Camille," an ode to his youngest daughter.

As for the Scorchers, there is something unique and magical about Jason's songs hyped up with Warner Hodges guitar licks and few acts can match the excitement that comes from the band playing together, but with their future presently uncertain, fans can rest a little easier knowing that Jason continues to make some of the best music being recorded today-and All Over Creation is just that!

Until two weeks ago I never heard of this artist. I have XM Radio in my car, and they were playing "James Dean's Car", which may be the best cut on the album. The readout just showed Jason Ring... and the search was on. After some internet snooping I got the name and album correct and ordered it right away. James Dean's car is one of those tunes you can't get out of your head. Jason's not the best singer of all time, but then consider Rod Stewart. It's the total package, and Ringenberg and friends have put together a winner. For instance "Mother Earth' with Kristi Rose (new to me also) who has a sexy, sultry voice that raises goose bumps. For sure Jason's a first class musician, and so are the guys backing him up on every cut. My favorites so far? Honky Tonk Maniac, Bible and a Gun, Last Train to Memphis, and of course, James Dean's Car. My advice? Buy the album.

Ringenberg's second solo album chronologically follows a pair of Jason & The Scorchers releases, but more properly a follow-up to his 2000 solo LP, "A Pocketful of Soul." The tour for this latter album introduced Ringenberg to the numerous collaborators who appear on this "duets" collection. The diverse array of guests provide additional fuel for Rigenberg's eclectic and far-reaching tastes. The songs -- mostly originals -- range from acoustic country-folk to bluegrass to rockabilly and hard-driving rock. Ringenberg and his guests sound at home across the entire array, and the result is a surprising unity between the styles.

Highlights include an acoustic-backed close-harmony duet with Kristi Rose, reprising George Jones' and Melba Montgomery's "I Dreamed My Baby Came Home" (from their rather obscure 1964 "Bluegrass Hootenanny" album). A moving rewrite of Steve Earle's "Bible and a Gun" re-imagines the story in Civil War times, with Earle providing a truly outstanding reading of the second verse. The American Civil War also provides the setting (and Nashville's Lambchop the tender backing) for "Erin's Seed," a tale of Irish immigrants whose dispersal to the South and North results in their clans ironic demise ("Our civil war did finish what their famine had begun.").

Todd Snider (of "Talkin' Seattle Grunge Rock Blues" fame) co-wrote and sings on the pop-rock "James Dean's Car," a song that would sound at home in the hands of Ben Vaughn. Nashville's Swan Dive provides the electric twang and backing vocal behind Ringenberg's ballad for his daughter, "Camille." Tommy Womack brings a power-pop sound to "Too High To See," and Britain's Wild Hearts provide crunchy rock guitars for the love lost sing-a-long, "One Less Heartache."

Kristi Rose makes a second appearance for a haunting cover of Gun Club's "Mother of Earth," and BR549 provide backup for a surprisingly lackluster cover of Loretta Lynn's "Don't Come Home A Drinkin' (With Lovin' on Your Mind)." The album closes with the original "The Last Train to Memphis," pairing the guitars of George Bradfute with the fiddle of Fats Kaplin for a wonderfully downbeat talking blues.

This is a wonderfully diverse album from a mature talent who's able to fuse the broad roots of his musical upbringing into a compelling new whole.

Not much to say about this album. Just listen to it! It's a treasure trove of great music and great musicians all held together by Jason.

Better effort here than on Empire
Builders where Jason's sometimes
leftist leaning come out of place
on occasion. Not quite as good as
'92's Jason and Pocketful of Soul.
But certainly better than Clear
Impetuous Morning. Look for many
more releases by outstanding band
Jason and the Scorchers!

Para presentar su anterior disco "A Pocketful Of Soul" (2000), Jason Ringenberg se embarcó en una gira en solitario. Sin embargo, a la menor oportunidad acababa con una jam con otros músicos: de ese espíritu de colaboración surgió el proyecto de "All Over Creation", donde el exlíder de los Scorchers reúne a algunos de sus amigos.
Respaldado por los multiinstrumentistas George Bradfute y Fats Kaplin, Ringenberg nos regala una caja de sorpresas, donde están presentes todos sus "amores": desde el country tradicional más ortodoxo hasta el cowpunk que creó al frente de los Scorchers.
Y es que en "All Over Creation" nos topamos con rockabilly explosivo ("Honky Tonk Maniac From Mars", con Hammel On Trial); hillbilly acústico puro y duro (el "I Dreamed My Baby Came Home" de George Jones, con Kristi Rose); canciones narrativas (la épica "Bible And A Gun", con Steve Earle); enérgico roots rock al estilo Scorchers ("Too High To See", con Tommy Womack; "James Dean's Car", con Todd Snider; o "One Less Heartache", con los británicos Wildhearts); honky tonk trotón (el "Don't Come Home A Drinkin'" de Loretta Lynn, con BR549); cánticos bluegrass (el "Mother Of Earth" de Gun Club, con Kristi Rose); y hasta baladas históricas (el lacónico "Erin's Seed", con Lambchop).
A pesar de la variedad de estilos e invitados, Jason se erige como el protagonista y vuelve a demostrar su doble talento como compositor y cantante. Con discos como éste, su papel como creador del cowpunk e indirecto instigador del Alt. Country queda más que claro.