Rod Picott is in the middle of the most creatively prolific time in his career. Tell The Truth & Shame The Devil (out 6/19) is his third album in as many years. In addition to that, he has published two books of poetry, one book of short stories, and has written rough drafts of his first novel and screenplay. Tell The Truth & Shame The Devil is by far the most personal and intimate album of Picott’s career and the liner notes include not only the lyrics but a paragraph about each song.
Many of the songs on Tell The Truth & Shame The Devil were prompted by a health scare that rattled Picott through the winter of 2018/2019. Physicians don’t make telephone calls at night. If they do, you take it seriously. “I’ve already called in a prescription. They’re waiting for you. Your heart is about to either A) seize up or B) jump out of your chest and it will be messy. You don’t have enough paper towels if B happens).”
It took several weeks to chase down the devil causing the heart issue during which Picott also underwent back surgery (five blood pressure checks until they gave up and said “I guess we’ll just do it anyway…”) In the end, this weeks long event of a freight train banging away in his chest informed Picott’s new album profoundly in both the writing and the recording. Alone with his modest recording gear, Picott set about making an album as honest, raw and uncontrived as his spine would allow. Already known for the intimacy and vivid narratives of his previous work, Tell The Truth & Shame The Devil opens the door wider still. Picott’s health is now in check.
This is the most personal group of songs Rod Picott has released and in some ways it is a memoir in song. It’s also by far the most intimate recording he’s made. It’s all in the title – Tell The Truth & Shame The Devil.
Glide is proud to premiere the video for “A Beautiful Light” (below) created and directed by Stacie Huckeba. Picott sings with a bare and bones grace reminiscent of Springsteen’s Nebraska and the off the cuff lyrical and musical directness of the late Jason Molina. Too many important artists fly under the musical radar today, and Picott is yet another valid wordsmith that needs to be heard.
