Lee Fisher discovers an album of beautifully arranged and played country soul gems
Joyful Noise
Released: 06.03.20
If you’re not familiar with Swamp Dogg, put NARC. to one side, fire up YouTube and listen to Total Destruction To Your Mind and feel your life take a turn for the better. Then come back and read about how Swamp (Jerry Williams to his mama) has finally made the country album his music has always hinted at.
Despite being within spitting distance of his eightieth birthday, Williams is in fine voice on a set of beautifully arranged and played country soul gems, backed by some crack Nashville musicians and with the likes of Jenny Lewis, Bon Iver and – to particularly excellent effect – John Prine guesting. This is warm, melancholy, late night music for sipping whisky and reminiscing about the one that got away.