Stan Martin

STAN MARTIN

Whiskey Morning

Twangtone Rec.

3,5 hats (5 hats is the best you can get!)

A new CD (his third if I’m not mistaken) with Stan Martin (who I heard at the Ydre Country festival a few years back) arrived a few weeks back. Stan has, as usual, written all the songs himself and also produces it together with Dave Roe. Stan writes in the liner notes that this CD was recorded in the “old school” way to honor the legends that are his heroes. The band played live and was recorded in the studio without any overdubs or digital changes. How’s the result? Well, a good mixture between faster and slower songs with very good musicians backing him up. There are a few real killer tracks here that I want to mention. Among them are the 4/4 shuffle song “Come on Trouble” which is one of the better. I also like the ballad “If”, “Damn this Town”. The standout track in my opinion is “Reasons for Drinkin’ You Gone”. Two other good tracks are the ballads “Singer of Songs” and title track “Whiskey Morning”. If you’re interested in acquiring this album you can contact Stan on his website www.stanmartin.net

LARS THELL - Lars Thell

Stan Martin
Whiskey Morning
(Twangtone 4-stars)
Martin’s affection for fermented grain mash is a pretty
good guide to his albums, Cigarettes & Cheap Whiskey
(Twangtone, 2002), Distilled Influences (Twangtone,
2012) and Whiskey Morning show him in crackling honky
tonk form, whereas I thought he was off the reservation a
bit with the more country pop/soul Love Ain’t That Tough
(Gibralter, 2009). Though based in Boston, he went to
Nashville for this album, co-produced with Dave Roe, the
last Tennessee Three bassplayer, bringing in Nashville cats
including Patty Griffin’s accordionist John Deaderick and
Grand Ole Opry steel and Dobro player Pat Severs to back
his eleven originals. A perennial problem with Martin is
that while he can write and, with a deep, emotive baritone,
often compared to Chris Isaak’s, sing a great honky tonk
song, what he does with his Telecaster tends to hog the
spotlight. Martin was raised on records featuring Don Rich,
James Burton, Roy Nichols and Grady Martin, but, heretical
as it may sound, he’s on the same level. As Rick Allen said of
Distilled Influences in Vintage Guitar, “This boy sure can
play… solid material, excellent singing, a great band, and
best of all, killer country guitar.” JCi - John Conquest

Stan Martin ‘Whiskey Morning’ - Twangtone

DateThursday, August 14, 2014 at 06:33AM


Alongside such notables as Dave Gleason and Kenny Vaughan, Stan Martin is a singer, songwriter and notable guitarist. All three are Telecaster exponents of the highest order. They understand the nature and truth of twang. Martin follows up his last album Distilled Influences with this latest alcohol flavoured collection of eleven original songs. On this occasion he took the advice of bassist Dave Roe and recorded in Nashville. Roe co-produced with Martin and they have delivered a fresh sounding album that is steeped in the classic country sounds of Merle, Buck, Dwight through to contemporary Americana at its rootiest edge.

Roe has gather some notable players such as Dave Dunseath on drums, Pat Severs on steel guitar and John Deadrick on accordion, to mention but three. They are taught, focused support group who know how to make this music work the way it needs to. The opening Champagne Wishes is a steel infused riff that has a power twang that is built around some tight melodic phases and choruses. Like some of the great 80’s to early 90s albums that blended, among a number of influences, some British invasion tautness with a trademark Bakersfield twang. A blend that finds much favour, as it has in the past, with these particular set of ears. Come On Trouble and Little Bit Right also follow this template. There is however a lot of variety on the album with the solid love song If taking a more acoustic route with dobro and accordion. Damn This Town express the frustration of a man living far from home trying to make his way against the odds. A troubadour unable to make achieve his ambition or find a foothold to build a living from. A feeling many have had in trying to follow a that particular dream. As with a lot of country songs these song will seem familiar and are easy too make friend with. Singer Of Songs is about a man who has used up his favours in trying to be true to his hopes and to follow in the footsteps of his idols.

Martin has never been one to stray too far from what is a perennial theme in traditional country music for the subject matter for some of his songs -that is drinkimg. The title track and the self explanatory Reasons For Drinking You Gone, The Note and the aforementioned Champagne Wishes are ones that deal with issues related to the powers of booze. Love and life are the other regular stalwarts of country music and music in general. The closing song Wrapped Around Your Finger talks of a relationship that provides solace of sorts. It that has the rhythm feel of a Paul Kennerley song and close the album with upbeat confidence.

Stan Martin has been perfecting his craft and this, his fifth, album is his best. His vocal are more assured and his playing and integration with the pedal steel and with the rhythm section assures that all flows along with ease. This is something for those who like their country straight up but not restrained to any one strand. Rather this album is an amalgamation of on number of influences delivered as a satisfying whole. -

Stan Martin
Whiskey Morning

Stan Martin is a keeper of the traditional country music flame. He’s a Don Rich/Danny Gatton-schooled Telecaster-loving guitar picker, a virtuoso who is not a showoff. And he’s a skilled writer and musician who is unabashedly, unapologetically country.

Martin’s original songs have a moving, sometimes comic, honesty. He retains a romantic toughness, as with some of Waylon Jennings early 1970s tunes written before the outlaw stance became a circus act.

As usual, Martin is supported by well matched players like steel player Pat Severs. He adds Dobro to complement the melancholy of Martin’s languid waltz, “Damn This Town,” then returns to the steel to trade light-hearted-but-serious licks with Martin’s Tele on “Reasons For Drinking You Gone,” the honky-tonk dance tune that follows.

A darker, almost sinister rocker, “Running Away” hints at the mood of the album’s powerful closer, “Wrapped Around Your Finger,” which is one of the best tunes Martin’s ever released. It’s big and dramatic without being overblown or overwrought.

This song is a dramatic example of how Martin’s playing resonates emotionally as much as musically. And that’s what the really good ones are going for. – Rick Allen- Vintage Guitar -