Hope＜限定盤＞

2007年の『BLUEGRASS DIARIES』が最優秀ブルーグラス・アルバム獲得するなど、これまでにグラミー賞を多数受賞しているジム・ローダーデール。エルヴィス・コステロの近年のルーツ路線をサポートしていたりするアメリカーナの要人です。

本作はパンデミックの渦中に制作された2021年新作で、カントリー、ロック、ブギー・ロック、ブルーグラスを独自の手法でブレンドした13曲を収録。力強くドライヴする16ビートの"The Opportunity to Help Somebody Through It"が最高にカッコいい!

Hard times make it hard to be optimistic, which is why its important for those with the strength to look to the bright side to help us all with the burden. Jim Lauderdale doesnt quite sound like a cheerleader on 2021s Hope, written at a time when optimism was in short supply around the world. However, the albums subtle yet clear theme from the title on down is finding encouragement and stability when the world around you is in chaos. The albums tone isnt that of a pep talk, but a discussion of philosophy, exploring the ideas that bring us serenity and healing rather than getting stuck in a cycle of despair. Hope features the song Memory, which was one of the last tunes Lauderdale wrote in collaboration with Robert Hunter, best known as one of the Grateful Deads most reliable lyricists, and the hippie-like Zen of Hunters worldview is audible throughout the album. The music may not sound psychedelic, but the arrangements summon a sunny, laid-back vibe thats ideal for the gentle contemplation these tunes encourage. The pedal steel swells that sweeten Sister Horizon and Breathe Real Slow remind us that Lauderdale is at least nominally a country artist, and the twang in his voice reinforces the sincerity of his lyrics, like a guru who has ambled in from the deep South. Even the songs with a darker tone, like The Brave One and When Searching for Answers, speak from a place of looking forward instead of focusing anguish within, and if you need an energy boost, the Dixie-fried jig of Heres to Hoping is made to order. Jim Lauderdale may not be available to be your life coach, but listening to Hope is the next best thing, and between the intelligence of the songwriting and the wisdom of its outlook, its more than welcome as the world makes its way through a collective rough patch. ~ Mark Deming