If you want to pigeon-hole Liam Ford as a Johnny Cash-tribute act, go right ahead. But then you would be missing a whole lot. Midway through Liam Ford’s new album Repenting in Leisure, a few songs are near-ringers for the Maverick’s Tex-Mex by way of Havana—sophisticated sounds that point to the multi-dimensionality of the band, as does the swing of “Mr. Blue.”
Ford, his crack band and guest musicians utilize horns and accordion to blazing results on “I Know That You Lied” and “I’ll Get Over You.” Guitarist Frank Calarco shines on the instrumental tribute to British guitarist on “Hank Marvin” as well as implying James Bond on “The Reflection.”
Ford and band dig deep in their stock-in-trade sound with “Travelin’ Man” channeling Junior Brown by way of Spencer, WI homeboy Dave Dudley. They pivot sharply with “The Jazz Cigarette,” which adds Andy Spadafora’s speakeasy clarinet to extoll the social virtues of weed.
Bassist JL Hoorman’s brilliantly, humorous “Wasted” reduces ontology to 17 clichés and drummer Andy Pagel’s take on Tom Waits’ “Jockey Full of Bourbon” is a natural fit. The gem here is “Back to Chicago,” a song that defies genre. A fond wistful and recollection that is cinematic, if gritty in looking back.
