4.52am Issue: 003 9th October 2016

JOHNNY FRITZ
Sweet Creep
One of the interesting new things that are
going on in musicland these days, is that all
of sudden country has somehow gotten
cool. We looked at Julia Jacklin a couple of
weeks ago, and she is from Australia, utterly
brilliant and if it has got that far things are
really on the turn.
More to the point there is definitely a flavour
to even non-country music at times. I don’t
know what the country equivalent to a bluenote
is (a fine whine?) but it is appearing
more than you would think.
Attune thine ears and listen, for mine words
are your truth.
All of which is good, we always knew they
had the best players after all, and the kids
always rebel (first law of Melody Maker, I
learned my lessons well) so the fact that
country has been naff for decades, well, it
was only a matter of time.
I’m not young though and really should
know better, which is why I have surprised
myself by basically having a geezer-crush on
Jonny Fritz, at least on his fourth album,
Sweet Creep, for it is definitely country
and even has pedal steel, and whilst he
isn’t so lonesome he can die, his songs
definitely exhibit that heartfelt, yearning,
burning, learning even, that the best
exhibit. I mean he hasn’t gone country
kitsch, but equally he isn’t playing it down
like (say) someone like Jeff Buckley did in
the past.
As an album (and not being an aficionado
of the form) I would say it is compelling,
you genuinely can’t take your ears off it,
and I honestly think it has added
something to my life.
I can even say it now,
there is country I like.
There is country I like.
There is country music I like,
and I’m proud.
“Western” mind you, that is a step too
far.
Check Mr Fritz out Here