William Elliott Whitmore – Songs Of The Blackbird

This entry was posted by owl and bear staff on Wednesday, January 17th, 2007 at 10:52 am.

2006, Southern Records

William Elliott Whitmore’s voice is gruff, he’s a deft picker, and his banjo is lovely, but this much-celebrated Iowan might not be for everyone.

Whitmore’s style could be described as folk-soul, and Songs Of The Blackbird is a spiritual album, in a way. The lyrics and songwriting are impressive and accomplished, respectively, but his voice may be a stumbling point for some. The album is good, but it also doesn’t immediately jump out of the speakers and holler “classic.”

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