Originally issued on Steve Earle's US label under the banner of alt.rockers Varnaline (Earle and Twangtrust partner, Ray Kennedy, co-produce, too), Songs In A Northern Key is Parker's broadest vision to date, touching all bases from space-folk through rustic country to belly-aching rock. Less impressive when cutting loose ("Anything From Now" and "Let It All Come Down" are sub-Sebadoh workouts), its finest moments?"Indian Summer Takedown", "Blackbird Fields"?are subtly arresting mini-classes in bruised, troubled Americana. One step closer to major league.
Originally issued on Steve Earle’s US label under the banner of alt.rockers Varnaline (Earle and Twangtrust partner, Ray Kennedy, co-produce, too), Songs In A Northern Key is Parker’s broadest vision to date, touching all bases from space-folk through rustic country to belly-aching rock. Less impressive when cutting loose (“Anything From Now” and “Let It All Come Down” are sub-Sebadoh workouts), its finest moments?”Indian Summer Takedown”, “Blackbird Fields”?are subtly arresting mini-classes in bruised, troubled Americana. One step closer to major league.
