Apr 21, 2015

Album Review: William Clark Green - Ringling Road

By Jamie Berryhill

William Clark Green has hit a proverbial home run with his latest effort, Ringling Road. Forgive the Baseball analogy, but it is April. At the time I am writing this, my beloved Cubs are sitting atop the NL Central Division, so you know where my head is at! As for WCG, this is really nothing new to those of us who have followed the Lubbock, Texas based artist from jump street.

Though, this album seems a bit more polished and fine-tuned production wise than his previous work (that isn't a bad thing!), it never draws you away from his skillfully crafted lyrics, and soulful voice. Ringling Road marks the second collaborative effort between Green and producer Rachel Loy.

WCG has a knack for storytelling and pulling you into a song. As most brilliant artists do, he creates vivid mental imagery, with lines like "the interstate's pumping like a vein, full of California plates." You can't help but picture that, and then listen for the next great line!

With every record, Green matures a little more, digs a little deeper, and evolves. He rolls along like a well oiled machine, recycling and repurposing bits and pieces of whatever pops up to sting him along the way, and uses them as inspiration.....mastering his craft one step at a time. I wasn't surprised at all with Ringling Road. More great songs, great melodies, and sonically pleasing rhythms.

WCG, here, has distilled and perfected a lot of what we Texas music fans have grown to love from the better artists in our 'genre.' I'll refrain from the "thumbs up" cliché in my review, because I think that may be copyright infringement, but I will say this: I wish I had more thumbs for this record! I haven't liked every single track on an album since the release of Down The Hatch by Oklahoma powerhouse, The Damn Quails. Ringling Road is out today on iTunes, Amazon, Lone Star Music, and other outlets. Buy it!

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Jamie Berryhill is a Texan, singer, songwriter, guitarist, and booking agent for 7th Planet Entertainment Group. He's only doing this gig for free wi-fi.

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