Jeff Lang has inspired notable guitarists, though it should also be noted that he is a multi-instrumentalist and not only an exponent of slide. His playing stands out both for his roots style â an amalgam of blues, folk and rock, plus an occasional African touch â and because he is simply startlingly good at it. His new album, I Live in My Head a Lot These Days, is impressive, too.
Music and its practitioners donât exist in a vacuum. It is virtually impossible to listen to an album by a renowned guitarist, however recognisable their style, without thinking both of their prior work and the playing of others. Nonetheless, it was a surprise to hear how frequently tracks on I Live in My Head could be so readily linked to possible influences.
The singing on âPeople Will Break Your Heartâ is reminiscent of a slightly sooky John Lennon but sits on the safe side of excess sentiment, and features tasteful slide guitar. âThis Cityâs Not Your Hometown Anymoreâ is slow, reflective ⊠and sung like Daniel Lanois! The mood suits that approach perfectly, anyway.
Elsewhere, he conjures Adrian Belewâs industrial guitar squawk in the driving âWaiting for the Headlights Through the Blindsâ, which also includes some lovely female vocal support and catchy lyrics â âI scratch my address on your car/and sit and waitâ.
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There is an elusive âI know thatâ quality about the lusciously abrasive guitar in âPetra Goes to the Moviesâ that tells of a life lived vicariously through cinema. âPull of the Driftâ evokes his own Djan Djan album (2010), hypnotically combining rhythm and drone with a nod to African music. You hear a C&W tilt to âThe Promise of New Yearâs Eveâ and some Ry Cooder, perhaps from his Get Rhythm era, in some of the grungier moments of this album.
So, a real variety of pleasing musical approaches is evident â whether or not you play âspot the connectionâ. The stories in the lyrics are a little sombre and the playing often downbeat, but there is always something to prick up your ears. His best? No, but definitely worth a listen.
Jeff Langâs I Live in My Head a Lot These Days is released through ABC Records.
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