Beth Bombara - Beth Bombara (2015)

We too often take for granted that which we encounter on a regular basis. Be it an old, peeling fencepost, a lover’s needs or the rhythm of music itself. Rather than apply a fresh coat of whitewash to said fencepost, stop and admire the history it holds. This notion is what St. Louis, Missouri’s Beth Bombara exudes on Beth Bombara.

Knee-deep in roots music, Bombara, rather than adding a new sheen to tradition, strips away life’s worn edges to reveal the subtle beauty in the familiar and exposing the pain hidden within as on “Give Me Something” and the ambling march of the divide between “Thunder and Rain”. Embracing Americana music as her guide, Bombara’s honed songwriting skills shine on the stark “Heavy Heart” and the lulling blues of “In the Water”. Backed by fellow St. Louis musicians Karl Eggers, Corey Woodruff and brothers JJ and Kit Hamon – the latter being Bombara’s husband and producer – Bombara mines emotional depths, naivety and personal shortcomings, singing, “I’ve been holding on too long / I’d try to fake it but I don’t know how” on “In My Head”. Honest and earnest, those words ring true.