Langhorne Slim - Engine EP

Genre rock Publisher V2 Records External Links Official Langhorne Slim Website Official V2 Website

If Langhorne Slim should be faulted for any reason, it should be for releasing an EP that only leaves the listener wanting more. The four tracks on Engine are a combination of pretty and clean melodies and foot stompin', head-bobbin' jams. Playing both electric and acoustic guitars, Slim gets down with the best of them. It is no wonder he has toured and shared stages with the likes of Cake, The Violent Femmes, Neil Young and James Brown. Engine is his first release on V2 Records and is an unforgettable introduction to his upcoming album (his sixth - he previously released two albums independently and two on Narnack Records).

The lyrics are equally matched with his voice, both can be described in one word: deep. The topics range from self-realization to love, for example "someday darlin' its got to make sense in your head/can't make up your mind till you wake up and make your bed" on "Restless," and "nobody knows their woman/nobody knows their man/I'd die to know my woman/kill for her to know her man" on "Sweet Olive Tree." Vocally, Slim sounds as though he's been singing, as well as living, for decades upon decades and the despondency behind the words (all written by Slim) is so soulful it could almost be mistaken for euphoria.

Though this artist is generally categorized under Folk music, images of Sunday night jamborees, doe-eyed blondes, cousins named Bubba, and sweet tea are the influence of the country sounding blues noted in his perfomance. This could have something to do with his birthplace of Langhorne, Pennsylvania and love of old school tunes.

After hearing Engine, there is no doubt the new record promised on the back of the cd cover, will be one of the best of 2007.