RICK HOLMSTROM

Cruel Sunrise

rickholmstrom.com

Through his association with Mavis Staples, who he’s backed onstage and on record, this blues-rock vet has gotten to know Jeff Tweedy, Billy Bragg and Neko Case—songwriters who cast traditional music in nontraditional lights. Here, Holmstrom does likewise, using back-alley guitar riffs and pop-Americana hooks to power cautiously optimistic songs about chasing down dreams. Things don’t always work out, but as he puts his faith in God (“Lord Please”) and women (“I’ll Hold You Close”), Holmstrom keeps his head high. More importantly, he treats his genre as a springboard, not a crutch. Just as every bluesman has his own problems, he should have his own sound.

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