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Having been sent this album by Salisbury – created by guitarist/singer/songwriter Eric Lysaght – after listening, I am grateful for something to take away the sting of cold winter nights.  It is an album of sheer emotion, catharsis and pure Americana – and I love it.  I’m also going to guess that it’s a straightforward concept album, as all these wonderful songs intertwine with one another in total harmony.

The album opens with pastoral sounds that make you feel that you’re in a peaceful, rural dream and goes into “Wake Up”, which suits the soundscape perfectly.  This blends right into the album’s title track, “Life Is A Heartbreak”, a gentle, acoustic dirge.  “Chariton County” is  sweetly picked; a very warm country-fied track that has the Alex Chilton-esque feel I love; a lyric of longing that you can’t help but be touched by.  “Down At The Fair” is vivid and gripping; “Leaving” is driven by brushes on the drums, piano and impassioned vocals.  “Mary Alice” may be the most upbeat of the songs and has a gorgeous melody.

In all, this fine album is easily one of the best, most cohesive things I’ve had the pleasure of hearing in 2013.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED

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About the Author

Rob Ross

Rob Ross has been, for good, bad or indifferent, involved in the music industry for over 30 years - first as guitarist/singer/songwriter with The Punch Line, then as freelance journalist, producer and manager to working for independent and major record labels. He resides in Staten Island, New York with his wife and cats; he works out a lot, reads voraciously, loves Big Star and his orange Gretsch. Doesn't that make him neat?

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