Andrew Adkins’ Glass Castles tells stories about deserted towns and coal mines, tales of giving up and holding on. The 13-track release is a mixed bag, with an abundance of Americana, a hint of blues and a few twangy country chords, all sewn together with folk-rock melodies.
Not every singer-songwriter equipped with a harmonica should elicit comparisons to Neil Young or Bob Dylan, but there’s something about Adkins’ music, both lyrically and melodically, that’s somewhat akin to the latter. This is most evident on the first track, “Freeborn Heart,” on which the Nashville-based musician opens with a piercing harmonica and rambunctious guitar strumming (kind of like Dylan’s “All Along the Watchtower” meets The Decemberists’ “Down By the Water”).
Of course, not everything on Glass Castles sounds like something else. Adkins certainly puts his own modern spin to the record, but his brightest moments are on songs rooted in a stripped-down Americana style, such as “The Song That Made the Whole World Cry,” “Consisting of Love” and “As Above as So Above,” each a fine example of the folk style he evidently explored for the album.
Glass Castles comes to a spiritual close with “Jubilee (Land of the Free),” a song that showcases Adkins’ ethereal vocals and features an abundance of harmonies by a backing choir. While the album typically hits on stories of self-doubt, love lost and misfortunes, the final track is a surprisingly fitting end to an otherwise somber release.
Andrew Adkins performs in Nashville frequently and has a handful of shows scheduled this month, including March 4 and March 9 appearances at The Country, located on 28th Avenue in Nashville. Adkins will also perform at the RedGorilla Music Fest in Austin, Texas, this month. Check out the dates, as well as other updates, on Adkins’ website, andrewadkins.net, or on his Facebook page.