Four Lost Souls in Bloomington, MN

Jon Langford
is a man with broad tastes in music, which is immediately obvious when one explores his body of work.
The Mekons
, his first band, have evolved from punk to roots rock to art-damaged country to electronics to traditional folk over the span of five decades, and
Langford
's many side projects have been every bit as eclectic. One of the few styles
hasn't tried in the past is Southern soul, but he's finally crossed that one off his list with his 2017 album,
Four Lost Souls
. For this project,
teamed up with three fellow Chicagoans -- vocalists
Bethany Thomas
and
Tawny Newsome
and guitarist
John Szymanski
-- and traveled to Alabama for four days of recording. The producer for the sessions was
Norbert Putnam
, a former member of the legendary
Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section
and a session musician whose credits run from
Linda Ronstadt
the Monkees
to
Willie Nelson
Elvis Presley
.
Putnam
put together an impressive crew of Southern studio cats, including
MSRS
members
David Hood
Randy McCormick
, Nashville pedal steel wizard
Pete Finney
, and
Will McFarlane
, who formerly played in
Bonnie Raitt
's road band. While a certain amount of chaos is usually part of a
album, thanks to these ace musicians
is easily the most polished and in-the-pocket album he's released to date, even if it was recorded in less than a workweek. While the tone of this music is soulful,
's thematic aim is more specifically Southern, which means there are echoes of country in these arrangements as well as solid R&B grooves.
's songs reflect his fascination with the culture and legacy of the American South, for better and for worse, and if his Welsh-accented voice sometimes seems to run counter to the music,
are both marvelous, putting their own spin on this music while honoring the traditions of Muscle Shoals soul. (
Tomi Lunsford
's guest vocal on "Snake Behind Glass" is similarly impressive.) While
is a creative departure for
, his songs make it clear this is very much his work, and these tales of the joys and sorrows of life below the Mason-Dixon Line are as insightful and intelligent as one would expect. Few tunesmiths have as keen an eye for the American psyche as
, and he's put his observations to splendid use on
. ~ Mark Deming