Wooden Horse – This Kind Of Trouble

Building on their rather darn fine debut album, What Comes Around, Wooden Horse are back with the follow up This Kind Of Trouble, another mightily impressive collection of mainly self penned songs from Worcester's finest purveyors of Americana. There’s the same authentic feel of the debut with lead singer Jamie Knight’s careworn vocals adding that touch of true touch of pain that real country blues demands and Ben Church painting in the background colours with some typically fine slide guitar playing. Long time live partner in crime pianist Stuart McIlroy’s on board too, notably bringing the boogie woogie to a rollicking cover of J.J. Cale’s (who sadly passed away just a few days ago) Crazy Momma and the Horse’s equally fine track You Ain’t Letting Me Down. Perhaps it’s the more reflective songs that are this album’s best calling cards though with the mournful laments of The Walking Rain and album closer Time I’s Leaving both striking that perfect balance between defeat and defiance. “Cos I wake up feelin’ empty, have to find a new best friend” sings Jamie on the latter, sounding for all the world like a dude setting off alone down a dusty track somewhere in the deep mid-west (as opposed to the deep West Midlands). Trouble never sounded so good. 

This Kind Of Trouble is out on 30th August 2013.