Terry Klein Stands Out Amongst Plethora of Twangy Texas Artists With Confident ‘“Leave the Light On’ (ALBUM REVIEW)

Great collaborators know how to sustain momentum. We praised the first musical meeting of singer-songwriter Terry Klein and producer, engineer, guitarist, and songwriter Thomm Jutz on Klein’s 2022 Good Luck, Take Care as a possible breakthrough effort for Klein. Like lightning in a bottle, the two were wise enough to work together on the equally as strong Leave the Light On, his fourth overall. Thematically it is more personal, six are about him or people close to him as opposed to the usual character portraits that grace most of his work.  Yes, a few of those are still here. Every lyric and musical note seems just spot on, a testament to this bond between Klein and Jutz especially since this album was recorded in just six hours without any specific instructions to the musicians beforehand.

With such a legacy of great Texas songwriters, in this millennium, after just four albums Klein stands among the best. Besides he’s got a gift for melody and varies the tempo and accompaniment in his songs to avoid the ‘sameness” trap. He opens with an honest look at his recently passed step father with reverence but more importantly, for what not to be as a father in “Shimmers and Hums.” He paints such an acute picture of loneliness and aging in the character portrayed in “Blue Hill Bay,” set in the snowy Atlantic New England coast. Jutz’s acoustic picking and Sanders’ pedal steel fits the weeping but stoic mood to a tee. “Wedding Day Eve” was originally entitled “Kate and Matthew’s Song,” and the lyrics indicate that Klein deeply cared about those two, passing on sage advice and delivering the title line of the album in this verse which, like the final line in “Blue Hill Bay” cites the certainty of change – “Dress in layers cause things ‘ll change/You can squeeze your eyes shut the fact remains/Change ’ll come and when it does/Best leave the light on.”

Klein and band shake off the ballads momentarily for the rocking story song “This Too Shall Pass.” Jutz, a most talented acoustic guitarist, shows that he’s got electric chops too. Then the sonics make another abrupt turn as Rogers fiddle sweetens the ballad “Well Enough Alone,” a chilling narrative about a hired hand who eliminates at least four people, and like characters of such in so many novels, feels that he’s rid the world of evil with each turn. He sings the blues of a latchkey kid and resembles Rodney Crowell to these ears in “A Dollar, Two Quarters, & a Dime.”

There are millions of commuters who can relate to the daily grind Klein sings about in the spare, pedal steel bathed “That Used to Be My Train,” an ode to the escape from a stifled corporate life in favor of shucking it all to view that same train from a completely different perspective. ‘Sky Blue LeBaron” tells the tale of a local scuttling musician barely getting by but is content with the few stable things he cherishes, nonetheless. Again, the acoustic guitars and Rogers’ fiddle is just so on cue (keep in mind the musicians had no music or instructions in the session).  The closer is the co-write with Aaron Smith who put out his own fine album earlier this year – The Legend of Sam Davis and Other Stories of Newton County, Arkansas. In “Starting at Zero” the character in this country tale shares much in common with the one in Ray Charles’ “I’m Busted” but at least is willing to try anew. Long live the Jutz-Klein partnership. They have delivered another exceptional record.

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One Response

  1. Can’t imagine anyone giving up a career in law to pursue singing/songwriting, but it was a good move for Terry………..
    He was a powerful force from the first time I met him at an Austin Songwriters Group jam.
    A different approach to melodies and a gift for words. Great phrasing and timing.

    Knock ’em dead Terry!

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