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| Courageous Chicken Records JMR 001 By William Michael Smith |
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Jason Ringenberg, former front man of the legendary cowpunk pioneers, Jason and the Scorchers, has emerged from the woodshed on his farm outside Nashville with a folkish country record, "A Pocketful of Soul." It may never be a chart topper, but it will certainly rank high with both country and Americana fans for honesty, integrity, maturity, depth and good feeling. After years of rocking as hard as anyone can, Ringenberg has kept the instrumentation and presentation light and mostly unplugged. Working with only multi-talented picker (and producer/engineer) George Bradfute (Webb Wilder) and one of Nashville's most versatile sidemen, Fats Kaplin (violin, accordion, steel guitar), Ringenberg has used the studio apparatus to full effect, yet the album has a back porch acoustic picking party feel. The sound reminds me of what Gram Parsons was trying to do with his original Grievous Angels band. When asked by an Austin disc jockey what he thought about the Progressive Country Movement, Parson's said, "We like regressive country." That characterization certainly fits "A Pocketful of Soul." Now in his early 40's and a consummate veteran of the cynical Nashville music scene, Ringenberg has produced a very personal record with songs about his boyhood home ('Oh Lonesome Prairie'), his family ('Addie Rose' and 'A Pocketful of Soul') and his faith ('Under Your Command'). He has also produced some interesting original instrumentals, the hillbilly-ish 'Hay Balin' Time' and 'The Last Ride,' a twangy, spaghetti Western theme piece. Ringenberg does tip his hat once to the cowpunk movement, however, by reviving 'Trail of Tears' by the band Guadalcanal Diary. Ringenberg delivers a dramatic performance without drums or amplification. The effect is stark and tragic, the "no one wins" message obvious. There are also several fine original but historically dated songs. In 'The Price of Progress,' a farmer who has lost his home of four generations to the TVA plots to blow up the dam because "the water makes its silent creep/yesterday my grandad's grave/was covered up like Pharoah's slaves." In 'Merry Christmas My Darling,' written from the perspective of a GI in a foxhole remembering all the good things about Christmas back home ('though this jungle is hot I remember these things/Merry Christmas, my darling, pray peace it will bring"), Vietnam is never mentioned, but there can be little doubt where the foxhole is located. Ringenberg joined with Kevin Welch to write the bittersweet 'Last of the Neon Cowboys,' "the last of the proud and true when he hits the stage in a rhinestone suit he bought he in '62." This is a life Ringenberg understands all too well. He used to work a steady job and did what he could do Kaplan's steel guitar colors the piece with the perfect honky-tonk vibe to match the world-weary lyric and adds the necessary bounce to give a danceable barroom feel that matches the subject matter of the song. In one aspect, Mr. Ringenberg has stayed very true to his Scorchers' roots. The Scorchers were always one part rock and roll riot, one part brush arbor revival meeting. Their lyrics frequently dealt with the conflict inherent in trying to be a righteous human being within the dubious ethical context of living a honky-tonk or rock and roll life. The Scorchers typically started their shows with Hank Williams' "Lost Highway" which begins "I'm a rolling stone all alone and lost, for this life of sin I have paid the cost." In perhaps his most famous composition, "Broken Whiskey Glass," Ringenberg wrote, "She went to church in her party dress" He also penned a poignant musician's lament called "Pray For Me, Momma, I'm A Gypsy Now," which begins with the wonderful line "Jesus gives to those who give themselves." On "A Pocketful of Soul," Ringenberg leaves little doubt that he has conquered that dark side of his musical personality. Lyrically this set of songs is quite spiritual, but without any preachiness or holier-than-thou attitude. Ringenberg makes no secret that he is concerned with what is lasting and eternal, not what is faddish, cool or fleeting. In the opening cut, which begins with the sounds of wind howling, Ringenberg sings, Oh lonesome prairie I know it's time And in "Under Your Command," Ringenberg makes it clear that he hasn't found any answers in celebrity or music stardom, and that he's seeking guidance toward something more meaningful. I'd love to know who and what to be Ringenberg is no nouveau honky-tonk wannabe pretender mining the latest retro trend in search of a hit. In fact, virtually everything about this quiet, laid back record runs counter to current trends. With the quiet and highly personal "A Pocketful of Soul," Ringenberg gives the impression of being a satisfied and somewhat self-realized man trying to make music that has a high level of integrity and a distinct lack of pretension. Some people have the nerve Job well done, Mr. Ringenberg. *'A Pocketful of Soul' can be ordered through www.jasonringenberg.com
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What do you do for an encore when you have fathered a whole musical movement, toured the globe for two decades, and been "the next big thing" more than once? Go to the woodshed, of course.
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