Subway to the Country

Artist: David Ackles
Label: Import [Generic]
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Format: Import
Media: Audio CD
Number Of Discs: 1

UPC: 075596159623
EAN: 0075596159623
ASIN: B000007X1A

Release Date: 2001-05-08

Subway to the Country

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Tracks:

Main Line Saloon
That's No Reason to Cry
Candy Man
Out on the Road
Cabin on the Mountain
Woman River
Inmates of the Institution
Subway to the Country

Album Details

1970 Release from the Legendary Singer / Songwriter who Never Got his Due! Guests Include: Lonnie Mack, & Session Greats Victor Feldman, Jim Gordon, Larry Knechtel, Jim Horn & Louie Shelton.

Customer Reviews:

A TICKET FOR THE TRAIN.......2000-12-14

Out of the three David Ackles discs I've purchased, this is my favorite. A friend backstage tossed his name my way, knowing my penchant for Leonard Cohen and Fred Neil.

There is only one song on this album that didn't thrill me. Still, in it's own way, "Candy Man" has a compelling narrative. How many songs do you know of that are about a wounded soldier turned candy salesman slipping porn to the kiddies? The rest of the record however, is great.

"Mainline Saloon" starts things off with a Kurt Weill-esque invitation to a bar where vice is a commodity. It has all the intensity of LOVE & HATE era Cohen. The kid gloves are off but Ackles' strong sense of melody and melancholy keep the patrons in line.

Next to "Down River"(off of his self-titled debut), "Out On The Road" & "Cabin On The Mountain" rank as some of Ackles the finest songs. "Out On The Road" just soars with passion. "Mountain" is an old fashioned murder ballad offering up a slight nod to Steven Foster and Ackles' gruff baritone rising up with lines like, "wish I never seen a knife" .

"Woman River" is enough to make you swoon: grey sunday skies and weeping willows by the Seine at dusk. There's a strong undercurrent lurking behind the surface of the lyrics here. Namely, that Love is one of the more rewarding forms of suicide.

Though,"Inmates Of The Institution" verges on pretentious territory, he manages to salvage it for me with the sincerity of his delivery. Perhaps he gets a touch over dramatic, but so what. Call it a guilty pleasure.

The last track, "Subway To The Country" wisely takes the edge off. Sure, it's sentimental but it grabs you. At his best, Ackles is haunting and this song could soothe many a woe if you gave it the time of day.

Vocally, if I were to make a comparison, a derranged Neil Diamond comes to mind. A bit more grizzled, and less overblown, but he's definitely got that rasp thing going on.

Musically, I'm reminded of Sondheim, with flashes of Randy Newman, early Tom Waits & Jimmy Webb . All of which does Ackles some disservice. He's just as or far more original than any I might have named. While it might not occur to fans of say, Nick Cave, and Tom Waits---Ackles may be right up your alley. In addition, Elvis Costello has mentioned him as a major influence.

After over 20 years of being out of print, a big hand should go to Electra records for re-issuing Ackles'catalogue. DAVID ACKLES & AMERICAN GOTHIC are also heartily recommended.

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