Jim Patton & Sherry Brokus are prepping for the release of a new album. It's titled Big Red Gibson and has a drop date of October 13, 2023. But first, for those of you not yet familiar with the act in question, a bit o’ background.
Jim Patton & Sherry Brokus##
According to their official website,
Jim Patton & Sherry Brokus are recording artists from Austin, Texas, who have been performing together for more than four decades. In February 2020, they hit number 12 on the Folk Alliance International Charts. Patton is the lead singer and plays acoustic guitar. Brokus sings harmony vocals. Their rockin’ resume includes several previous platters and live performances at various venues.
Signature Sound
Jim Patton & Sherry Brokus’ signature sound is a blend of Americana, folk, and folk-rock. The music is a bit electric than acoustic when compared to their previous platter, Going The Distance. Still, the core of their signature sound remains. According to a recent email, the act is “influenced by 20th century novels and real life tales from the world around us.” On this album, the group reveals “a Tom Petty/Byrds influence.”
Big Red Gibson
Big Red Gibson is an 11-track disc that features all original songs at least co-written by Patton. It is their seventh release. Here Jim Patton leads the way on acoustic and rhythm guitar, sharing the vocals with Sherry Brokus. They are backed by Cordy Lavery on lead six and 12 string guitars, Ron Flynt on rhythm guitar, keyboards, bass, and background vocals, Steve McCarthy on drums, and Bettysoo on additional vocals.
Track by Track
The album opens on the premiere single “Dead End Town.” It’s a great little opener as the listeners begin their journey leaving a “Dead End Town” on a teasing track that ends too soon. Patton spoke of the meaning of this early fan fave online.He said: “A man wants to leave his past behind and leave his hometown with its limited and narrow culture behind. He just wants to wake up where no one knows his face and where something new could happen.” It was co-written by Patton, Jeff Talmadge, and Steve Brooks.
The second selection is the titular “Big Red Gibson”. This one, co-written by Patton and Talmadge is a biographical tune complete with a sense of humor, genuinity, and even a Rolling Stones reference. What more could one want?
The next number is “Road That I Never Go Down”. It comes complete with its own little musical bounce. Lyrically, it focuses on not spending too much time thinking about “what might have been” and instead concentrating on what is and what could still be. Patton co-wrote this one with Frank Mirenzi.
“Devil’s Highway” follows. It’s a quieter, simpler yet effective track. This, too, was co-written by Patton, Talmadge, and Brooks.
“Here’s To My Friends” is a not-unexpected friendly, descriptive ditty dedicated to Patton’s friends. It includes a musical message about acceptance, support and understanding.“Pretty Dark World” takes a page from a few legendary songwriters by presenting some serious thoughts in a catchy cut. It’s frighteningly fun and cleverly compares our lives to a Stephen King horror novel. This is the second song co-written by Patton and Talmadge. It’s perfect for any atypical Halloween playlist.
“Critic’s Choice” goes to “My Heart’s Turned To Stone” not because it’s the top track here but for the painfully obvious honesty exhibited within the lyrics. It musically makes a point regarding a man’s emotional limits to forgive and forget and remain friends. Sometimes, it is easier said than done. It’s about time someone admitted it and sang it to the world.
“Janey Has A Locket” is another melodically memorable song-story. It is a fun, effective, deceptively simple song. It features guest artist Eric Hisaw on lead electric guitar.
Also included here is “Wild, Dumb, & Unsatisfied”. This one is fun to listen to and probably fun to perform as well. The title lyric borders on a mouthful but it works.
“Promises To Keep” takes things in a slightly different direction both musically and in terms of the message. It’s a nice potentially subconscious tuneful twist on a Robert Frost line and has a sense of poetry all its own.
The closing cut is “I Still Believe In You”. An intimate, slow song that is both personally heartfelt and yet in a more hopeful sense nigh-universal. It is an apt album end note.
Overall…
Overall, this is largely an album about not only getting out of a “Dead End Town” but also escaping one’s past, and avoiding regrets. Musically, it is a bit more folk-rock than folk, but that seems to work well for the performing pair. Their sense of humor and honesty make this a follow up that goes beyond their previous platter and includes some noteworthy numbers. So, pick up Jim Patton & Sherry Brokus’ Big Red Gibson and take a trip down “Devil’s Highway.”
(Images courtesy of Jim Patton & Sherry Brokus)