Tommy Womack, There, I Said It

"So how you doin'?"

"I'm alright. Waiting for February to end."

"I hate to be the guy to tell you, but it's been March for a couple of days already."

"It only says that on the calendar."

Oof -- do I ever hear that. I, too, am waiting for February to end. In my case, I'm greasing the hold February has on my coattails by listening to Tommy Womack's There, I Said It.



I've mentioned Womack before. He's a Nashville singer-songwriter, who's got a firm grip on the Blues. It sounds like that arrangement was reversed for a stretch: the black dogs took up residence and fed on his soul. I wouldn't wish that hell on anyone, but he's taken the experience and knit together a musical skein of profound comfort. If you go here, you'll be treated to "Nice Day", which acts as the album's centrepiece. It's also moved me to tears with every spin. Last time I checked, the most-downloaded track on eMusic is "A Cockroach After The Bomb" -- a winner of a tune, no question. But my personal favourite off the album is "Alpha Male & The Canine Mystery Blood", a wide-ranging methodical stream - of - consciousness bit of talking blues that pulls out and lifts up the heart of desire.

There are tongue-in-cheek bits of fun, acidic observations, little pleas for help and more than a few "To hell with it all" declarations. Those of us who have followed him for a bit can view this as the latest follow-up to the giddy rock & roll reminiscences of his Cheese Chronicles. Newcomers can tuck in and savour this stew of hard-won insight.

Go on and make him a rock star. Amazon link here, eMusic link here.