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| Kern Richards of Altco Music on No Depression |
Check out the original post on No Depression
"Every once in a while I get blessed with something that sticks out in a high-definition world. I personally get tired of being fed "Happy go lucky" and need that black and white fix from the high-def culture we live in. My great friend Mr. Stevie Tombstone turned me to a ALTCO label mate Kern Richards and I can't thank him enough after listening to his latest released entitled "Any where but home". Kern hails from the great state of California and is a pure singer/songwriter who has the ability to make you believe in the stories he sings. Don't expect no "Happy go lucky" here but do expect much brutally honest lyrics and some great arrangements which I was pleasantly surprised. Anywhere but home is the perfect name for the record which tells stories of lonesome, highways, 24hr cafes,booze, lost love, injustices and everything that comes with. Richards voice really stands out and sounds like" its been in a smoke house for several days and placed on the highway only to be hit by a semi truck" . I would describe living where Tom Waits drawl and Lenoard Cohen's lullaby echos over lap. In the title track of the same as album name Anywhere but home the singer explains
"Monday drunkard bar-stool...Tuesday couldn't care....Wednesday night sick with fright and headed no where....Thursday's back in rehab....Friday getting stoned....from Sunday dawn to Saturday night I'll go anywhere but home"
After hearing those lyrics the great Krisofferson is kicking
his own ass for not penning such. Its safe to say that Kern won't be
playing many weddings but will speak to the working man, truck driver,
the outcast, the beaten down, the guy who doesn't wanna go home from the
bar, the cook at the Huddle House at 3am, and such. I for one
really got into and still growing into this record for much of the
things he is speaking of I too have been thru it. I can respect the hell
out of a man who is honest in struggles of life. Not everyone can
related to beach life and eating at Applebees. Thank god for
folks like Kern Richards who tell it like it is and make you feel it's
heartfelt under-belly Americana. Go pick up a copy of his new release
now and thank me later."
