On Josh Travis’ debut, Few of Days & Full of Trouble, the Erie, PA-based folk/country singer tackles a lot of dark topics from loss to uncertainty, but there is an underlying theme of faith and hope that ultimately plays out across the 10 tracks here.
The album was written over a five-year period, and while not exactly a concept album, there is certainly a relatable theme about struggle that unites all of the songs here. More impressively, Travis is able to get across his faith in a God throughout the songs without coming across as preachy or pious, not an easy task. He co-produced the record alongside Al Torrence (Charles Wesley Godwin).
There is an unpretentiousness to the music, from the opening track, “Secondhand Smoke” – a song about focusing on being in the moment – through to the raucous title track that closes the album. In between, he pulls on classic country influences, Bluegrass, and folk. Being able to switch from almost dirge like western numbers on “Old Beat Up Paint” and “Poor Johnny” to a heartbreaker like “Change of Heart,” he shows his depth as a songwriter. The bests moments of the record come about halfway in with the impressive one-two punch of “Picture of You” and “Hot Week in August,” (a song where you can almost hear Waylon Jennings singing).
While it took five years to write the album, working out of a studio near Pittsburgh, Travis was in and out for a year and a half perfecting each track. “I wanted to pour everything I could into it,” he says. Having played the songs live with his band for years, in the studio he wanted a bigger sound so added organ, steel, and fiddle throughout. It’s been six years since Travis released his debut EP, and Few of Days & Full of Trouble shows an impressive amount of growth not only with his writing but in a much more confident voice.
