Album Review – Jack Klatt’s “Shadows in the Sunset”
For those of you who wear out your Pokey LaFarge records on a regular basis and regard Wayne “The Train” Hancock as a musical God, another name worth checking out is the old-time throwback singer and songwriter with a hobo’s hat and a belly full of songs named Jack Klatt.
They say to write it you first have to live it, and that is what Jack Klatt did when he dropped out of college in 2006 and hit the road with his backpack and a guitar, criss crossing the United States and even trekking over to Europe for a while before landing in Minnesota where he started to take the music he’d used to busk on street corners and sidewalks all around the world more seriously.
Many try to capture that road-worn wisdom and weariness found in the warbling voices of those old records from troubadours like Hank Williams and Woody Guthrie, but few can swing it with the ghostly accuracy of Jack Klatt. Combine that with a natural kinship with America’s formative songwriters and a keen ability to articulate timeless narratives in an old-time manner, and Jack Klatt is the musical solution for listeners with old souls. Part primitive country, part early jazz and bluesy rag, Klatt has the tempo of the train tracks stamped on his music, and booze soaking through his classically poetic style.
Possibly most enchanting is the alacrity with which Klatt can work his fingers on a parlor guitar, and fill the air with revolving melodies, punctuated with slide tones as he shows off what many years of meditation with a man and his instrument can make possible. Regard his singing and songwriting highly, but his guitar playing is what puts Jack Klatt on the musical map.
His brand new sophomore release called Shadows in the Sunset finds Jack Klatt coming and going, but mostly going. Subtitled as “On The Art of Saying Goodbye,” it contains songs sewed on the move with healing found on the road and heartbreak left behind. The album was recorded in a 100-year-old church called the Ark in the tiny town of Viroqua, Wisconsin in the dead of winter, all live with a crack band and vintage gear, giving Shadows in the Sunset the authentic acoustics for the sentiments expressed in Klatt’s original throwback compositions.
This isn’t about setting forth a new paradigm in music, this is about authentically interpreting ageless music with a new enthusiasm to make sure the old ways of making melodies never wane. Klatt may not be the next hot name in country music, but he will be the minstrel to dazzle intimate crowds looking for a portal back to a simpler, and more enriching time in American music.
1 1/2 Guns Up (7/10)
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Purchase Shadows in the Sunset
Appearing on Shadows in the Sunset are:
- Patrick Harison – Lap steel and accordion
- Josh Granowski – Upright bass
- Chris Hepola – Percussion
- Nikki Grossman – Fiddle
Country Music Archive Brazil
May 4, 2016 @ 6:59 pm
“Anywhere I Go” is a good song.
RollieB
May 4, 2016 @ 7:29 pm
We here in Minnesota are fortunate to have amazing musicians that play nightly in fantastic clubs, dive bars, and other hi-tone music venues. I saw Jack Klatt open for the Cactus Blossoms at The Turf Club a few years ago. He certainly can hold his own as a musician and entertainer. I like that he’s getting some nice PR and exposure. Thanks, Trig.
Mitch
May 4, 2016 @ 10:39 pm
Thanks for the review. I wiuld like to recommend the song “Logwalls and Chainsaws” as a Song of the Year canidate. It is country to the bone.
Kent
May 5, 2016 @ 6:38 am
Nice Really nice… 🙂
Here is something else for for you to review Trigger, I think They gone even further in trying make the album to sound old… 🙂
Don’t worry the review request was meant as a joke…:-)
But they do are good at trying to emulate the “the old Sound” and he’s got several old steelguitars. And by the way it’s not Country more a mix betvin hawaii music and ragtime…But I like them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z2baHZPvDHQ
Digs
May 5, 2016 @ 8:23 pm
So sad that quality music like this only gets a small handful of comments!
Such a strong Minnesota country scene right now with Cactus Blossoms, Jack, Frankie Lee – “Americam Dreamer” is my favorite album of the past few months – Erik Koskinen,Charlie Parr, Sam Cassidy
Joshua R.
May 5, 2016 @ 8:33 pm
I gave it a listen. The guys pretty damn good.
Mitch
May 6, 2016 @ 12:18 pm
Dont forget Bernie King and The Guilty Pleasures, Brady Perl, Drew Peterson just to name a few more.
There is also a good scene in nearby Sioux Falls as well.
Mitch
September 12, 2016 @ 3:41 pm
American Dreamer is sooooooo good
Joshua R.
May 5, 2016 @ 8:31 pm
No articles today Trig? Everything ok?
Trigger
May 5, 2016 @ 8:45 pm
Yes.
Joshua R.
May 6, 2016 @ 12:27 am
Good to hear. Just checking on ya.
JD
May 6, 2016 @ 9:40 am
For you MN people, his album release party/show is Saturday at the Icehouse.
Mitch
May 6, 2016 @ 12:19 pm
http://www.thecurrent.org/feature/2016/05/04/jack-klatt-performs-in-the-radio-heartland-studio?WT.mc_id=b2d56cf83c04831661923244f4043728
Bigfoot is Real (lonesome, on'ry, and mean)
May 9, 2016 @ 1:02 pm
Great to see this review. His previous release is also worth a listen. Jack’s a great guy to boot.
lunchbox
May 10, 2016 @ 1:59 am
two things…
1. im pretty sure this is his third release.
2. i made a couple responses in this post the other day and not one of showed up. no big deal, just seemed odd.
Trigger
May 10, 2016 @ 6:57 am
Lunchbox,
Saturday evening we were moving the site to a new server, and unfortunately some comments got lost. And unfortunately, they were yours. We tried to do everything we could to mitigate the losses, but that’s the way these things go. It was nothing personal. I tried to save them. Feel free to repost whatever you wish.
lunchbox
May 10, 2016 @ 12:53 pm
its all good
Mitch
September 12, 2016 @ 3:45 pm
This is his second solo. The others were with the Catswingers.
lunchbox
May 10, 2016 @ 12:58 pm
actually do check out Bernie King if you have any time. he’s good stuff…