Malcolm Holcombe - 'Tricks of the Trade' - review - Messenger newspapers

Malcolm Holcombe,”Tricks of the Trade” (Need To Know Music)

Americana’s answer to Tom Waits may not be a household name just yet, but this grizzled North Carolina native can always be relied upon to reward his discerning coterie of listeners with some of the most poetic and thought provoking balladry that they could ever wish to hear. Malcolm Holcombe’s fractured baritone may not exactly be a thing of beauty but his musical output since the mid nineties has been little less than superlative, and “Tricks of the Trade” marks the latest addition to his impressive body of work as this troubadour of the troubled explores the vagaries of the American blue collar experience via compelling ditties such as “Your Kin,” “Money Train” and “Damn Rainy Day.” The finished product provides a compelling antidote to the demoralising diet of corporate blandness which seems to dominate the contemporary music scene these days.

Kevin Bryan

Kevin’s reviews are syndicated to up to approx. 90 other regional UK newspapers