Bambi Lee Savage - Berlin-Nashville Express (2019)

The latest album from Bambi Lee Savage mixes indie rock with classic country sensibilities. Miss Savage previously worked with Mick Harvey, who played on and produced her last album Darkness Overshadowed. That relationship goes back further to the 90s, when she was engaged as an engineer in Berlin's Hansa Studios. She worked there with Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds and also with U2. She was encouraged to the other side of the studio window and released her debut album Matter Of Time in 2003. She was also encouraged in her endeavours by Daniel Lanois, recording some demo tracks with him. One of those tracks was included on the Sling Blade movie soundtrack. That particular song Darlin' is included here also in a remixed version. Despite the stated influence of Hank Williams and Loretta Lynn, this album would be at the indie edge of Americana. There are many studios and musicians credited on the sleeve but it is all held together by Savage's overriding sonic vision. Touching on a number of different cornerstones, traces of David Lynch's fondness for female torch songs are evident throughout. All of which means that this is not really for fans of walk-the-line traditional minded country. The songs do however have the flavour of country with titles such as This Blue Heart, Get Out My Pillow (I'm Comin' Home), I Can't Count On My Man and I'll Have To Leave Town (To Get Over You). Beside Harvey she employs such Nashville notables as Dave Roe, Spencer Cullum and Will Kimbrough on two of the album's 10 tracks. It is something of a journey as the title suggests, that draws from all of Savage's influences. The album boasts an Americana theme throughout, without being overplayed. --Lonesome Highway