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Tricks Of The Trade by Malcolm Holcombe
Contributors: Bill Rutsch, Calvin Powers, Lyndon Bolton
October 13, 2021Leave a Comment
“chock-full of his trademark angry-old-man folk and suffer-no-fools blues.”
— Calvin Powers
“There is a distinctly rock foundation to Tricks of the Trade. But ultimately it’s Holcombe’s lyrics with their vivid, no holds barred view on life that hit hardest.”
— Lyndon Bolton
“I like the variety of song styles, from weary, bluesy protestations, to country style bar sing-alongs, to pretty melodies…”
–Bill Rutsch
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Reviews
Calvin Powers
Tricks Of The Trade by Malcolm Holcombe is easily his most “accessible” album yet. It’s chock-full of his trademark angry old man folk and suffer-no-fools blues. But there are also some tracks that are a little more like rock and there’s even one track that can best be described as a honkytonk tearjerker. So yeah it’s a good gateway drug to some of the more intense hardline albums in his back catalog. Which is not to say he’s pulling his punches on this one. The social criticism is just as biting as ever and the seething rage is as intense as ever. What sets Hocombe apart from so many other angry songwriters is that he knows how to make songs sound timeless, universal, old as the mountains he comes from, and most of all, his songs sound true. Highlights for me are “Money Train,” “Misery Loves Company,” “Crazy Man Blues,” “Your Kin,” “Good Intentions,” “Tricks Of The Trade,” and “Shaky Ground.”
Lyndon Bolton
Maintaining his frenetic pace of the past six years Holcombe releases another cracking album. With his long-standing buddies Dave Roe and Jared Tyler he stretches his already extensive sweep of styles. Through country, folk, bluegrass, gospel, blues and rock they go but with Tyler adding more electric guitars to his dobro, there is a distinctly rock foundation to Tricks of the Trade. But ultimately it’s Holcombe’s lyrics with their vivid, no holds barred view on life that hit hardest. Listening to him is like hearing an alternative state of the nation address, just from another perspective and a lot less comfortable.
Immediately he’s off on the ‘Money Train’ rasping through what sounds like whisky and sandpaper, “evrybody’s ridin’ the ol money train”. To an agitated strumming ‘On Tennessee Land’ Holcombe spits out the futility of politicians’ promises to those who depend on that land. He drops into talking on ‘Damn Rainy Days’, pouring a relentless weariness but he never gives up. ‘Tricks of the Trade’ demonstrates perfectly how Holcombe matches output with quality.
Bill Rutsch
Another great one from Malcomb Holcombe! Nice tight band (with excellent electric guitar and dobro provided by Jared Tyler) frames his gruff, spot on, poetic prose. I like the variety of song styles, from weary, bluesy protestations, to country style bar sing alongs, to pretty melodies (“Into the Sunlight”) that contrast with Holcombe’s growl and line ending sighs. I can picture Leo Kottke or perhaps Peter Lang covering “Your Kin” with it’s circular guitar arrangement. Timeless! Holcombe wraps things up with a very satisfying “Shaky Ground”. If you have a spare minute, check out the videos that accompany some of the selections from this album.