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Malcolm Holcombe - Tricks of the Trade

William, August 27, 2021

Nashville veteran Malcolm Holcombe is back with new record Tricks of the Trade. It's his sixth in seven years, and it doesn't seem to stop. If you think creativity dries up after so many plates, you're wrong. On the contrary, Tricks of the Trade sounds raw, pure and authentic. The fact that Nashville delivers quality singer/songwriters is proven by Malcolm Holcombe.

Holcombe has been producing and playing music for quite a while. His first album, A Far Cry From Here, dates back to 1994, and he has since made numerous records that have been received fairly well. Though for a small audience. They're records I'm not familiar with, and Tricks of the Trade is my first. Malcolm Holcombe himself has not noticed me before. This is going to change in the near future, because this record pulls me over the line.

The first thing that comes to mind is, and you can't ignore, is Holcombe's voice. It is raw and has a lot of wear. Comparisons with the old still-alive legend Bob Dylan make you fast. It has a lot of interfaces. In my opinion, this makes Tricks of the Trade less suitable for the younger generation. Of course, there are always exceptions, but it has to lie down. For the younger generation, this sounds rather old-fashioned.

The musical coloring covers many different genres. Blues is one that clearly shows up on Tricks of the Trade. But you can also add folk and country. It makes this record a varying whole that you bring with you through different musical styles. And I honestly do not mind that at all and can only appreciate that. Malcolm has clearly been able to make the most of his years of experience on this record.

Although I'm not a great lyricist when it comes to music, I'd like to pause for a moment. Malcolm Holcombe is often abstract and sometimes difficult to follow. But like Bob Dylan, he is not afraid to tackle the political aspect. You hear Holcombe pick that up on different numbers. But the "normal" struggles of life are also given a place in his lyrics.

Malcolm Holcombe is not very well known as Bob Dylan. And he's not gonna be either. But it's obvious that he produces sound Americana music. Tricks of the Trade is unlikely to be particularly high-eyed, in my opinion completely unjustified, as he proves here that Malcolm Holcombe can write good music. Although I know little of his albums, this new record does invite to his oeuvre. An authentic artist who creates music in a quirky way from passion, that's Malcolm Holcombe summarized.

Released on Gypsy Eyes Music