Lance Whalen, “Civil Twilight” (self, 2009)
Reviewed by Abu Ramses – All Tracks FCC CLEAN

Singer songwriter Lance Whalen, originally from Lexington, KY now relocated in Nashville. Mostly acoustic guitar, pedal steel, mandolin, piano. Soulful, gentle, sad, romantic lyrics. He calls the sound “Americana-Noir.” Whalen’s soft, raw, melancholy, voice recalls Leonard Cohen. Samantha Harlowe and two more guys on vocals of some tracks. All slow to mid-tempo.

Try tracks 2, 8
Tracks
1. Rue the Day 4:26 – slow guitar intro, very sad, tortured sound
2. Time 4:03 – walking tempo, builds slowly, “It’s gonna take time”
3. Love Is Not Enough 5:19 – a ballad of lost love with full ensemble backup
4. Without You 3:38 – slow, mandolin, soaring pedal steel
5. New Religion 3:53 – slow, haunting pedal steel, unusual chords and harmony with female backup
6. Shake Baby Shake 2:09 – nice slides on pedal steel, harmonica
7. Save Me 5:46 – Another tortured one. Piano backup
8. Breathe Easy 2:59 – Slow, bluesy, wailing instrumental backup
9. Civil Twilight 6:46 – slow, brooding