Review: Jeff Talmadge "Kind Of Everything"

Folk and Americana music maestro Jess Talmadge is back with "Kind Of Everything," which is an apt description of an album that successfully manages to address everything from weather to love to the solitude of the Holiday Season. To borrow a phrase from the project's second song, this album  is "a hell of a ride."
"Kind Of Everything" begins with the carefully-paced "If It Wasn't For The Wind," which has a country rock, Tom Petty-esque vibe that works. However, the star of this album is the second cut "Hamburg Violin," which is country music gold. Talbridge's simple melody and powerful lyrics will play over and over in the heads of listeners. The memorable track deserves a serious look by radio program directors from country and Americana stations.

The title track "Kind Of Everything" is a reflective story-in-song with a compelling melody, and the folk cut "One Spectacular Moon" is the album's most theatrical song.

Talmadge also shines on "Summer Road." Indeed, there can be no doubt that this is the style of music the artist was born to make. The superb instrumentation and careful vocal performance is perfectly tailored to a song that is pleasing to the ear and challenging to the mind. "He'll Give Her Back This Town Tonight" and "Step By Step (As Long As)" also have much of the same charm.

"Kind Of Everything" is a surprisingly fresh musical project that exceeds the already high expectations fans have from a new Jeff Talmadge album. During the album's penultimate song, Talmadge performs a song titled "Sometimes You Choose Love." However, listeners will have no such choice, because you cannot help but fall in love with the 13 tracks presented here. CountryChart.com