Genre: Album
Grade: A-
Notable People: Arlo McKinley, Produced by: Matt Ross-Spang
Title: Die Midwestern
Review: McKinley emerged from Cincinnati’s vibrant music scene and shuffled on down to Memphis to record this beauty. Crispy produced by Ross-Spang, who has produced John Prine and Margo Price records- and featuring a full on crack session band, this album is an absolute throwback to the height of 70s country rock, with echoes of everyone form Gene Clark to Johnny Paycheck, with the ghost of the recently passed Justin Townes Earle thrown in. McKinley’s 10 original songs are drenched in emotion from a wounded heart- some apparently composed in a funeral home parking lot after carrying the coffin of his best friend. The title song features the mantra “never going to get out of Ohio alive” …..which I may be a bit too close to home for yours truly. Lyrics may be a bit dark for some, but the music and production are wonderful.