Scott
Duncan – On A Bus To Nowhere (Independent)
Scott Duncan is a much-respected singer-songwriter
from San Antonio, Texas, so much so that he’s twice been a finalist at the
Kerrville Folk Festival and has showcased for the Southwest Regional Folk
Alliance. His song “November Rain” was featured on the latter organisation’s
recent compilation release; you may have heard it.
Story songs and ballads are the foundation of his
songwriting style and on his debut LP “On A Bus To Nowhere”, he presents 13 prime
examples of his craft. He delivers each song with a voice that’s rich and
honeyed, and accompanies them quite simply with mostly just guitar, banjo and a
few strings. There’s absolutely nowhere for his songs to hide, and it’s to his
credit that the listener is repeatedly enveloped into his tales of love, loss,
sorrow and redemption.
Live on stage, in the dark corner of a small Texas
club, I imagine the effect is captivating. At home, with the lights dimmed and
the CD player gently warming, he’s equally enthralling. The title track makes
an instant impression; regret and lost love provide the themes, and the views
from the bus, the stark imagery. “Storm Warning” uses heavy weather metaphors
to relate current trials and tribulations, and the effect is emotional and
direct, and full of dark portent.
Tapping directly into the legacies of both Townes Van
Zandt and Johnny Cash, “Down By the River” has
it all: love, betrayal, murder and retribution, and “The
Place I Call Home” indicates a lighter side, and these contrasts are
just one aspect that makes “On A Bus To Nowhere” such an entertaining listening
experience.
Tony S.
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