Has it honestly been 12 years since The Cadillac Three released their self-titled debut album under their previous name The Cadillac Black? 12 years since they appeared in tiny clubs up and down the UK for their debut headlining tour? 12 years of gigs gradually increasing in size from the gloriously unhip Nashville trio?
With the same three members featured in an old photo taken during the early days of the trio that takes pride of place on the cover of this year’s ‘The Years Go Fast’ album – Jaren Johnston (lead vocals, guitar), Neil Mason (drums, vocals), and Kelby Ray (lap steel guitar, bass guitar, vocals).
This time the band had brought the Tennessee weather with them to a sweltering Tramshed in Cardiff, along with a few other Nashville residents in support of their Years Go Fast tour.
This includes Stephen Wilson Jr. a vastly experienced singer/songwriter from rural Southern Indiana who self-describes as “Death Cab For Country”. Alternating between playing with a full band and like tonight as a duo with Scotty Murray on the lap steel, Wilson Jr. is very much in a similar vein to such blue-collar heroes as John Mellencamp, Steve Earle, Neil Young, and Springsteen in ‘Tom Joad’/’Atlantic City’-mode. His songs are gritty, and honest, and strike a nerve.
The set began with “Billy” and then followed with “Cuckoo.” The second song was very relatable, about the working person and how hard life can be.
Armed with just a gorgeous gut-string acoustic guitar, and one almighty pedal board, Wilson Jr. has no place to hide for the next 30 minutes as he unfolds tale after tale.
His music is dark, a combination of country mixed with elements of grunge and alternative rock.
There are plenty of choice pickings from his current magnum opus ‘Søn of Dad’ of which ‘billy’ and ‘Cuckoo’ are just two of the highlights with the latter especially raw.
Stephen breaks all our hearts with his introduction to 'Father’s Son', from his latest album, 'Son of Dad', in which he tells the tale of losing his own father, in a song as wide reaching as the plains of America’s heartland. He pours out his soul for Cardiff tonight and the addition of a slide-guitar supplements the sound, adding to the timeless echo of mesas and scrub. I can honestly say I had goosebumps hearing the emotions in his voice.
Wilson Jr. has some startling material that takes the listener on a journey: “I wear his blue jean jacket & his name like a badge of honour/I used to hate being called Junior/but I don’t mind any longer” – all played out over Murray’s weeping lap steel, is something that lingers on long after the night ends and the only thing left to do is seek out a copy of the album.
Just to lift the spirits, Stephen pops open a cover of Nirvana’s 'Something in the Way' before going back to the 'Bon Aqua' EP for a 'Year to be Young 1994' and 'Holler from the Holler'.
Both are tales of dead-end hometowns where the option – in 'Year to be Young 1994'’s case is roller skating or drugs – is get away or die inside. His delivery invokes Springsteen’s drawl on his acoustic albums, Nebraska, Devil and Dust, and The Ghost of Tom Joad, which is why it’s a perfect combination of style and substance.
Picking up the pace a little, “Year to Be Young 1994” was led by Wilson Jr. stating, “There was not much to do in my hometown but drugs and roller-skate, sometimes both at the same time. I started listening to grunge which inspired this song.”.
Ending on one of his self-released tracks, “Holler From the Holler,” Wilson Jr., with his unique vocal style and mesmerizing performance, definitely earned a few new fans this evening.
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