Fragile bluesy beauty isn’t a word we have used to describe Davey Knowles’ virtuoso guitar work that has defined his career from his days as leader of Back Door Slam to his well-respected solo career. But the artist with the zestful command of the fretboard and deeply poignant and soulful voice is showing he’s a valuable songwriter as much as he is a bluesman.
On his new album, If I Should Wander, Knowles lets his acoustic lead the way on an album of insighful and personal songwriting that lets his voice shine.
“I have owned the instrument I used to write and record this album (a 1932 National Triolian resonator) for 15 years, and have played it onstage all over the world, always in the Delta-Blues style this guitar is synonymous with” says Knowles. “However, as soon as this music emerged from it, I felt like I finally had discovered what this instrument was truly for,” says Knowles about his trusty guitar.
He came to the realization that If I Should Wander is a piece of art created out of personal need, the idea of sending this music out into the big bad world didn’t seem quite as frightening a prospect. “Folks don’t like it? That’s OK. It’s not for them. This one is for you” Knowles told himself. Yet, “there is a little hope of mine that maybe someone, somewhere may see a little of themselves in need of these songs and perhaps not feel so alone.”
Glide is premiering the insightful “Broken Time” that shows Knowles can wave his Americana flag with Jason Isbells in the scene. On this remarkably candid and mellow tune, Knowles gives us a revealing listen to an already well-established artist proving sometimes indeed less is more.
“I have been told by older generations my whole life about the feeling that time speeds up, only to disregard their advice with a kind of youthful arrogance and ignorance. Now, I feel it happening to me. This song deals with the weird notion that time is a perception that changes as we age, of worrying about having squandered a part of my youth, but also about the kind of comfort you feel growing into your older skin – like catching yourself saying the same funny things to your kids that your parents said to you. Just the fact I have kids now – I’m now looked at in the same way that I used to look up to that older generation, saying the same things and giving that same advice. The circular motion of it all.”
One Response
Love this Davy!