Ghostrain

Palo Alto-based band featuring the band’s namesake leader, John Henry Bradshaw. It’s country. It’s blues. It’s folksy. It’s Americana. It’s a debut release...and it’s killer. Great instrumentation of everything you’d expect from Americana music - acoustic guitar, pedal steel, cello, melodica (organ), harmonica, drums, bass, etc. Chris Cotton (recent A-file) guests on #4. No FCC’s.

*My Favorites*: 1, 2, 4, 7, 8, 12.

1. *(5:39) Mid. Begins with train bell and train horn. Upbeat, front-porch-feeling blues, acoustic guitar, drums, cello, male / female vocals.
2. *(3:07) Fast. Screamed-vocal, driving song. Nice piano parts, heavy drumming. Female backing vocals.
3. (6:00) Mid. Plodding drumbeat, piano, drums, acoustic guitar. Long fade-out of rain.
4. *(3:41) Mid. Banjo intro. Harmonica and band join in. Male, female alternate vocals. Driving and upbeat, despite the lyrics. Dig that harmonica solo nod to John Mayall! Sounds a lot like Old Crow Medicine Show as well. Chris Cotton guests on guitar. Killer.
5. (2:41) Mid / Fast. Cool slide work, nice’n’easy beat.
6. (4:03) Mid. Train whistle intro. Pedal steel and drums predominate. another easy-going song. Train whistle returns at end.
7. *(5:08) Mid. Appalachian-style country blues. Great acoustic instrumentation. Galloping, upbeat and danceable good times.
8. *(3:43) Mid. Killer acoustic guitar picking featuring some hollering vocals. Sparse and sure to please.
9. (2:50) Slow. Sustained organ parts and guitar predominate. Has that ‘No Expectations’ sound from the Stones’ Beggar’s Banquet.
10. (3:11) Mid. Harmonica, drums, guitar predominate. Gets rocking.
11. (6:20) Slow / Mid. Easy-going folksy-bluesy song with female and children backing vocals.
12. *(6:46) MId / Fast. Driving with melodica and cello joining electric guitar, bass, drums. Alternates between mellower and driving phrases with some cool changes. Kick ass.
13. (16:55) Slow. Sparse guitar, banjo with female vocal. Ends with 12:54 remaining, then a couple intermittent sounds the rest of the way.