https://www.gaesteliste.de/review/show.html?_nr=22256
Malcolm Holcombe - 'Bits & Pieces' - review - Gaesteliste (Germany) - June 2023
Malcolm Holcombe - Bits & Pieces
proper
Format: CD
When the voice of the songwriter veteran Malcolm Holcome, who now lives back in his native North Carolina, sounds particularly fragile and vulnerable on his 18th album, there is certainly reason for crying: Holcombe was diagnosed with cancer last year and decided to have it to record a new collection of songs together with his "musical shadow" Jared Tyler as quickly as possible before he wanted to start a treatment that had probably made it impossible in the following. In short: In the meantime this treatment has taken place, and it was also successful - however, a pneumonia on one side, which he contracted during the course of the treatment, actually prevents further musical activities at the moment. Ultimately, the diagnosis' sword of Damocles had a creatively beneficial effect on the production of the album, because the combative note, which runs like a red thread through Holcombe's acoustically but by no means spartanly staged "Country for Old Men Songs" (to put it in a categorization), lends the songs with their "now more than ever tenor" much more emphasis and clarity than the works of the past, which were sometimes presented in a lackluster way. Even Holcombe's often rather slurred pronunciation is clearly more defined here than usual.
-Ullrich Maurer-
Surf recommendation:
www.malcolmholcombe.com
www.facebook.com/malcolmholcombe
twitter.com/malcolmholcombe
https://americanahighways.org/2023/06/21/review-malcolm-holcombe-bits-and-pieces/
REVIEW: Malcolm Holcombe “Bits And Pieces”
Malcolm Holcombe – Bits & Pieces
This set is Malcolm Holcombe’s 18th LP & his lived-in vocals are expressive & chiseled from the same granite as J.J. Cale, Jon Dee Graham, Buddy Miller & the like. Aside from the gruff vocals, it’s the consistent quality of the lyrics dipped in his marinated melodies that taste so fine. Many tunes are like short stories & though the musicianship is spare – Mr. Holcombe & Jared Tyler’s recording is pristine & the instrumentation is satisfyingly full. It comes with talent & skill.
These tunes are all packed – lots of rambunctious country blues/singer-songwriter depth. The fertile imagination of Malcolm provides an earthiness, a rural backdrop that’s unfiltered. He explores greed, hatred & injustice. Been done before? Certainly. But the voice here sounds more experienced than most. A witness to the criteria. With a tonality that isn’t polished, Mr. Holcombe’s mélange is like a rich-looking rosewood table that was varnished once & now the sheen has been lost — but the beauty of the grain is plain to see. With Malcolm Holcombe, it’s always been there.
A practitioner of personality & character his voice is where Malcolm excels. “Fill Those Shoes,” is rich with a late-career Bob Dylan growl & intonation — just superb. A highly trained voice often loses its soul for its expertise. Much the same as the deal with the devil at the crossroads. With these tunes none of the authenticity is lost & no deal with the devil was made.
The kick up a stink accentuations, the hobo storytelling sauteed tales, the deep grit between the toenails & the Tom Waits-Chuck E. Weiss paper bag wine & alleyway melodic tint is a contrast that’s potent & attractive (“Happy Wonderland”). It’s like a double shot of whiskey poured into a tall glass of milk. You don’t see it until you taste it.
“Another Sweet Deal,” permeates with J.J. Cale-John Hiatt’s proficiency. A country-blues elixir that Malcolm (acoustic guitar/lead vocals) has mastered. Produced by Jared Tyler & Brian Brinkerhoff the 13-cut Bits & Pieces (Drops June 23–Gypsy Eyes Music/Singular Recordings/Proper Music/Need To Know Music) was recorded in North Carolina with all songs by Malcolm.
Malcolm’s turn of phrase in many lyrics is also sharp & humorous. Scattered throughout his repertoire. The playing is most gratifying. The music flows with little embellishment & this allows the words to play their equal musical role. Tales like “Eye of the Needle,” carry so much atmosphere in their presentation.
Highlights – “Bits and Pieces,” “Fill Those Shoes,” “Conscience of Man,” “Every Soul Is There,” “Happy Wonderland,” “Another Sweet Deal,” “Bootstraps,” “Eye of the Needle” & “Rubbin’ Elbows.”
Musicians – Jared Tyler (dobro/lap steel/classical, bass, electric & baritone guitar/mandola/tenor banjo/drums/percussion/bgv).
B&W image by Jamie Kalikow. The 42-minute CD @ https://www.malcolmholcombe.com/
Enjoy our previous coverage here: Key to the Highway: Malcolm Holcombe
https://maximumvolumemusic.com/review-malcolm-holcombe-bits-and-pieces-2023/
Published: June 22, 2023
By Andy Thorley
“Bits And Pieces,” the 18th record by Malcolm Holcombe, is a testament to the resilience and artistry of a musician who sees the world through a distinctive lens. This album almost didn’t come to fruition, as Holcombe faced a cancer diagnosis. However, true to form, he ventured into the studio, accompanied by Jared Tyler, his shadow and musical collaborator, resulting in a collection of brilliant songs.
The title track, “Bits And Pieces,” exemplifies the classic storytelling prowess that sets Holcombe apart from his contemporaries. His ability to weave intricate narratives is unmatched, painting vivid pictures with his words.
“Fill Those Shoes” showcases a more expansive sound, despite the fact that it is just the duo of Holcombe and Tyler. This track, like many others on the album, carries a dustbowl folk aesthetic reminiscent of Bob Dylan’s early works but with a raw road-weariness that sets it apart.
Beyond the musicality, there is a profound belief in humanity and a deep sense of empathy that permeates the album. “Conscience Of Man” is a testament to this, evoking comparisons to legendary artists like Steve Earle and Lucinda Williams. Yet, Holcombe’s unique voice and guitar work paint him as almost the Steinbeck of the music world.
“Ev’ry Soul Is There” showcases Holcombe’s innate ability to find stories in every corner of life, a gift that many aspire to possess. The album continues to impress with “Another Sweet Deal,” a track that highlights Holcombe’s unmatched vocal style and his knack for infusing his playing with glorious melodies. Tyler’s contributions as a talented accompanist shine throughout the record.
“Rubbin’ Elbows” introduces a whimsical notion, cautioning against giving up one’s day job, yet manages to depict life on the road with a battered guitar and a trucker’s cap as a form of paradise. On the old-time folk tune “I’ve Been There,” Holcombe delivers a standout line: “you can polish a turd with some elbow grease, and there’s a flim-flam floozy, full of booze and boobies” (though, to be fair, he seems to appreciate both).
The album concludes with a plea to a higher power for assistance, as Holcombe confronts the challenges he faced during the recording process and beyond. In “The sunlight of my faith comes undone,” he captures a sense of poignant vulnerability and introspection.
Remarkably, Holcombe emerged victorious over his battle with cancer, leaving listeners eager for future releases that match the quality of “Bits And Pieces.” While terms like “unique” are often overused, they undeniably apply to Holcombe’s transcendent talent. He stands as a truly remarkable singer-songwriter without any imitators. Though there may be fragments and influences from various sources, ”Bits And Pieces” if we may, nobody quite captures the essence of Malcolm Holcombe.
“Bits And Pieces” is a captivating journey through the extraordinary perspective of Malcolm Holcombe. With its masterful storytelling, compelling melodies, and Holcombe’s incomparable voice, this record stands as a testament to both his resilience and artistic brilliance.
Rating: 9/10
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https://www.realrootscafe.com/2023/06/22/malcolm-holcombe-bits-pieces/
MALCOLM HOLCOMBE, BITS & PIECES
22 JUNI 2023
DOOR RONAND VALSTAR
“Not Forgotten” het album uit 2006 staat niet symbool voor het functioneren van mijn geheugen. Malcolm Holcombe was op onverklaarbare wijze na dat album aan mijn aandacht ontsnapt. Het album staat zelfs in de kast! Afspelen dus en weer weten waarom ik het destijds heb aangeschaft. Het was de tijd dat Michael de Jong met regelmaat de kleinere podia besteeg en ik vaak één van de caféstoelen had opgeëist middels een kaartje van maximaal een euro of zeven. Het donker van ontspoort leven, van geen vat hebben op wat je doet en veroorzaakt en het moederziel alleen ronddolen in die wereld is zowel fascinerend als armetierig.
Holcombe past in die wereld. Verwoestende raspende stem. Verwoestende teksten. Poëtisch harde, lieflijk getokkelde akoestische gitaarsongs naast zagende elektrische gitaarsongs. Folk, country, rock en blues bij de hand. Aanklachten, wijsheden, oneliners en sprankjes hoop. Door zijn achttien albums bladerend moet ik zeggen dat “Not Forgotten” een flink aansprekend album is en dat “Bits & Pieces” er niet slecht bij afsteekt.
Geboren (1955) in de zuidelijke Appalachen verloopt zijn levenspad op een welhaast klassieke Amerikaanse singer-songwriter wijze. Gegrondvest op armoede, vroeg verlies van zijn ouders, drank en depressies, geloof en kanker. Vlak na die diagnose besluiten hij en Jared Tyler, zijn muzikale vervolmaakter, “Bits & Pieces” op te nemen. Tyler hemelt de zang en het akoestische gitaarspel van Holcombe op met dobro, lapsteel, bariton gitaar, elektrische gitaar, bas, mandoline, banjo, klassiek gitaar, percussie en achtergrondzang. Ongewis hoe het leven verder zal verlopen is het maken van nieuwe songs misschien nog belangrijker dan ademen.
Het is te horen. De dertien songs hebben allemaal een zekere mate van zorgvuldige omlijsting. De stem van Holcombe is vanzelfsprekend donker rafelig. Hij laat zijn stem na elke zin vaak verdwijnen in een laag gegrom alsof hij het maar net redt. In de hogere regionen blijkt hij rauw-vast te kunnen zingen. Zijn gitaarspel sprankelt met lekkere refreinen zoals op “Conscience Of Man”. De hoop in de mensheid niet opgeven klinkt vurig in een mooi samengaan van elektrische- en akoestische gitaarklanken Op het heel fraaie “The Wind Doesn’t Know You” verwoordt de elektrische gitaar de wind. Een intens donker lied met een sprank Holcombe hoop. Op “Eye Of A Needle” komt het samenspel tussen het akoestische en het elektrische zo nodig nog fraaier naar voren. De song eindigt met de zin: Don’t pray keep wishing. Een prachtige nuance van de ruig-breekbaar ogende in het ongewisse verkerende man.
Bits & Pieces oprapen heeft Holcombe met dit album zeker gedaan. Een hoogtepunt in zijn muzikale loopbaan. Een levenservaren man die tot nu toe altijd wist te overleven. Nu maar hopen dat hij stukje bij beetje kan herstellen. Oppervlakkige beluistering is verboden dat lijdt tot het missen van wijsheden en dat zou doodzonde zijn.
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Review • Roots • June 21, 2023
Malcolm Holcombe
Bits & Pieces
Written by: Cis van Looy Released by: Need To Know Music
In 2022 Malcolm Holcombe was diagnosed with cancer, with the uncertain future it was more urgent than ever to record new song work. Together with his loyal companion, the multi-instrumentalist Jared Tyler, a few songs were already recorded in the Echo Mountain Studios in North Carolina, later supplemented with additional work, the follow-up to Tricks of the Trade grew into the eighteenth work of the near Asheville resident troubadour.
Anyone who is somewhat familiar with Holcombe's repertoire knows that he is not exactly the most cheerful of Frans. The man has struggled with his demons for about half his life, a stubborn alcohol addiction depression,.. and now cancer but he is a survivor who fights back. His guitar and razor-sharp lyrics that well up from scratchy, rattling vocals are the weapons. A not insignificant role is reserved for Jared Tyler. As always, he manifests himself as an excellent accompanist, in addition to percussion, he instinctively adds nuanced accents with his extensive string arsenal to the idiosyncratic repertoire that cuts deeper than ever.
That is immediately clear in the driven title track. “People talk about losin' runnin round in circles wonder who's listenin' and prayin' for mercy”, is entrusted to us in the taunting strings Fill Those Shoes .
After a seemingly less gloomy bluegrass picker Hard Luck City, we come with The Wind Doesn't Know You to something that is described by insiders close to Holcombe as 'Malcolmisms'. The often merciless confrontation with his living environment and accompanying conscientious observations, “It's an everyday battle wakin' up in the mornin' with the rattle and the hustles of the card and the warnin' of the measure of the clock tickin' forward”
Biting, warning comments in Happy Wonderland “ you gotta butter your bread on the right side, don't wistle at the women'round here, that corn fed bible belt mama's gotta skillet made for yoyur head. It continues like this with dark folk on acoustic picking up to the conjuring closing track Bring To Fly.
Malcolm Holcombe impresses more than ever with gloomy reflections that sound more intense with every listen. With postponed concerts in the tour agenda, doubts creep in, hopefully his health will still evolve favorably so that he can tell his poignant stories on stage. climbing from the dust I swallowed behind. …Great spirit lift me from despair
Malcolm Holcombe 's album Bits & Pieces has been released by Need To Know Music on June 23, 2023.
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Malcolm Holcombe really didn't need the cancer to write another album full of songs about misery. So when he got that diagnosis last year, he already had the songs for Bits & Pieces (Proper Music/Need To Know) ready. And he wanted to take them in as soon as possible, because the future was uncertain. He did so close to home in Asheville, North Carolina, with Jared Tyler at his side. He single-handedly ensures that the message of Holcombe (vocals, acoustic guitar) has a solid foundation through his contributions on dobro, lap steel, baritone guitar, electric guitar, bass, mandola, tenor banjo, classical guitar, drums and percussion. And he also supports Holcolmbe on second voice, not that his raw vocal cords alone could not convey the story, incidentally. That voice has been broken for years. But that's the power. On the title track he tries to make ends meet. Although with empty pockets, rolled up in a curtain you can also get through the night on a cold floor. On Fill Those Shoes , he hears an old man tell his story and knows he's not the only one struggling. With Conscience Of Man he expresses confidence in his fellow man: 'Your love for blood and guns and money / Ain't gonna steal away my country / Kennedy, dr. King and Lincoln / Gave us tongues to pray and sing.
https://www.paris-move.com/reviews/malcolm-holcombe-bits-and-pieces/
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MALCOLM HOLCOMBE – BITS & PIECES
Need To Know Music / Proper Music
AMERICANA
And 16. In nearly thirty years, that's the number of albums that this intractable songwriter has managed to publish, year after year (whose two predecessors we have reviewed HERE and HERE ). Because it is certainly too late to expect from this atypical resident of Nashville the slightest compromise that could assure him in extremis a form of respite, in his career marked by the seal of precariousness. It was also very close that we lost him for good, since he had just been diagnosed with cancer in 2022. kind of scoop, however, is almost in his eyes a simple incident. As at this stage, you no longer change a winning team, he recorded these 13 new vignettes in record time at Echo Mountain studios in Asheville, leaving it to his faithful accomplice Jared Tyler to then soberly dress the arrangements. at Blue Alleluia Studio in Tulsa. Because for those who are not yet familiar with the art of Holcombe, his obstetrics has for a long time been due to the ability of this good Tyler to ensure it alone, in addition to co-production (which he shares here with Brian Brikerhoff) , the parts of dobro, lap-steel, acoustic, electric and baritone guitars, mandolin and banjo, as well as those of bass, drums and choirs. From the titular track which opens the festivities, we find the characteristics of the character intact: this alert picking (testifying to years of practice in the Mississippi John Hurt songbook), this elocution as pasty as it is determined (giving his refrains the air of buccaneering in the long course), and this acerbic poetry, half-spit, half-thrown with a punch, like only a few giants before him, among whom we can only find Townes Van Zandt, John Prine, Guy Clark and other olibrii of an equivalent caliber. And while we refrain from mentioning Dylan on this list, this damn “Fill Those Shoes” tumbles out, which one would think came from (or survived) the “New Morning” sessions. Good God, we could cite a contingent of applicants ready to sell their own sister to gain access, if only for a minute, to this grace in the purity and elliptical expression, the impact of which paralyzes the listener (it's only the second track, and I've already played it three times). In the same vein, “Hard Luck City”, “Another Sweet Deal” and “Bootstraps” evoke the Appalachian side of bluegrass, while the enigmatic “The Wind Doesn't Know You” and “Happy Wonderland” summon the ghost of Calvin Russell (who of course almost no one has ever heard of in Nashville). Between JJ Cale and an apocryphal Dylan, the furious and bluesy “Conscience Of Man” sends the salutary kick in the balls called these days by white supremacism, armed and paranoid, back in vogue in his country. The benevolent specters of the greats John Hurt and Roscoe Holcomb (also often invoked by Peter Case) manifest themselves again on "Ev'ry Soul Is There" and "I've Been There", while with their biblical and consumerist parables , “Eye Of A Needle” and “Bring To Fly” return to tickle Zimmerman on his flowerbeds. As an Anglo-Saxon chronicler put it, if unfortunately you did not yet know Malcolm Holcombe, here is undoubtedly one of the best ways to access it.
Patrick DALLONGEVILLE
Paris-Move , Blues Magazine , Illico & BluesBoarder
PARIS-MOVE, June 20th 2023
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::
Album available on the Fnac website
Also read on the website of our friends Americana UK
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https://www.wncw.org/show/new-tunes-at-two/2023-06-16/monday-6-19-malcolm-holcombe-bits-pieces?_amp=true
Charlotte 101.3 - Greenville 97.3 - Boone 92.9 - WSIF Wilkesboro 90.9
New Tunes at Two
Monday, 6/19: Malcolm Holcombe -- Bits & Pieces
Welcome to the 18th album from this Weaverville native, Swannanoa resident, nationally recognized sage, and a true survivor. Shortly after his cancer diagnosis last year, Malcolm and Jared Tyler decided to get some new songs of his recorded, just the two of them, not knowing what the future held in store for them. Fortunately, it was a whole album’s worth of more great “Malcolmisms”. The songs here cover a variety of challenges we’re all vulnerable to: cancer, addiction, greed, hatred, inexplicable injustice… Malcolm helps us wrestle with them, as he has done for maybe a few lifetimes now. Bits & Pieces was produced by Jared and by Brian Brinkerhoff, and recorded mostly at Echo Mountain Studios in Asheville.
Martin is the voice of WNCW weekday mornings from 9 to noon. As WNCW's Music Director, Martin reviews copious amounts of new music and decides what makes the WNCW music rotation. He also books our live in Studio B sessions.
https://folking.com/malcolm-holcombe-bits-pieces-proper-need-to-know/
MALCOLM HOLCOMBE – Bits & Pieces (Proper/Need To Know)
Diagnosed with cancer in 2022, alongside regular collaborator Jared Tyler Holcombe resolved to knock his 18th and potentially swan song album into shape as quickly as possible. However, while the material has been stripped back and simply arranged, Bits & Pieces never sounds like a rush job.
Very much a folk blues album in terms of its sound (those early Dylan and Waits comparisons duly trotted out), it offers the now familiar Holcombe observation of and insights into the good, the bad and the ugly that constitute the struggles of everyday folk living on today’s work, something politically pungent, sometimes playful. On the one hand there’s something like the Guthrie-esque call and holler ‘I’ve Been There’ where he sings how “you can change my mind when I’m poor and hungry you can rob me blind with a suit and tie” or picked album closer ‘Bring To Fly’ where “The hypocrites of poisoned concrete grow taller in their clay feet the hypocrites of poisoned concrete grow taller in their clay feet/the one room shacks of my childhood now just mem’ries of the wildwood”. Likewise the dobro-flavoured Texicali swayer ‘Another Sweet Deal’ with its snapshot of modern snake oil salesmen (“I sit on my ass and move money around/I talk double fast and roll back outta town”) and the politically cynical desert dry ‘Rubbin’ Elbows’ with its vote-chasers “rubbin’ elbows kissin’ babies/ snubbin’ poor folks/ lovin’ favors”.
And on the other hand, there’s ‘Happy Wonderland’ that cautions “you gotta butter your bread on the right side don’t whistle at the women ’round here/that corn fed bible belt mama’s gotta skillet made for your head” and “you can play with matches in your pocket but the downside’s gonna get hot”.
It opens in lively if lyrically dark form with the fingerpicked title track (“makin’ ends meet alone/loose ends to the bone burnin’ ashes in my lungs”) and the drawled, slower, strummed but no less upbeat ‘Fill Those Shoes’ (“people get murdered for no reason/some give up their lives so others keep breathin’”), though least there’s a shaft of light here (“I seen lives torn apart/I been there still comin’ to/now I believe you’re the only one to fill those worn out shoes”).
The bluegrassy ‘Hard Luck City’ (“I never listened to you you never listened to me/ ev’rybody got in my way thumbin’ down an ol’ highway bullet proof and wastin’ away in hard luck city”) and the dappled acoustic blues ‘The Wind Doesn’t Know You’ (“it’s an ev’ryday battle wakin’ up in the mornin’ with the rattle and the hustles of the cars and the warnin’ of the pressure ev’ry measure of the clock tickin’ forward”) deliver exactly what their titles suggest. Which brings things to the centrepiece that is ‘Conscience Of Man’ with its defiance of the forces tearing the country apart (“your love for blood and guns and money ain’t gonna steal away my country/ Kennedy, Dr.King and Lincoln gave us tongues to pray and sing”) and a reminder of our commonality (“Jesus loves all the little children all the children of this world red, yellow, black and white they are precious in his sight”).
Elsewhere, other highlights include the reflective optimistic semi-talking blues ‘Ev’ry Soul Is Here’.
“I remember when
the kids were young stayin’ up all nite
hangin down at the bar drinkin coffee awhile
this town’s gotta grudge but it makes no matter
as a matter a fact dead brain cells scatter
time stretches a hand up over the years
love comes back around some way or ‘nuther
now they took away the pictures and the tables and chairs
not a dime on the floor not a sound in the air
but there’s an empty ol’ buildin’ full o’ ghosts I swear
swappin’ songs ev’ry nite ev’ry soul is there”.
alongside the downcast ‘Eye Of A Needle’ (“there’s an eye of a needle for a golden camel/I suffered a quarter for a telephone call ain’t nobody home/I was stuck to ramble panhandlin’ daylight branded for a fall”).
His lyrics can be enigmatic and oblique (“blood bleedin’ in your stomach/saline flowin’ in your veins/I know the grace of God’s among us but the doctors turned away”), but you always feel the heart of what he’s talking about.
Drinking, depression and now cancer, Holcombe’s survived them all. “I will not hide from the words of justice/I will not join the cries of liars/I will not keep my heart from climbing from the dust I swallowed behind”, he sings. Long may he climb.
Mike Davies
Artist’s website: www.malcomholcombe.com
‘Fill Those Shoes’ – official video:
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Malcolm Holcombe BITS & PIECES
Malcolm Holcombe
Bits & Pieces
Self-Release
Old Testament Songs About Folks Getting By on The Mercy of Faith, and Trying To Make Sense of a World That No One Truly Understands.
Bits & Pieces is Holcombe’s 18th album, recorded not long after a long and tiring cancer recovery, and he comes out swinging, reckless and daring right from the first song.
Long time Holcombe collaborator Jared Tyler produced this album, along with Brian Brinkerhoff, and Tyler also played all the other instruments—drums, percussion, various stringed instruments including classical guitar, dobro, lap steel, electric guitar, bass, mandola, and sang backup.
The perfect foil for Holcombe’s songs, Tyler keeps it smart and simple, making these songs sound as if they crawled right out of the swamp—murky, bold, teeming.
Oft times the instruments strike with such force they seem to merge into one, hitting the pure melodies of Holcombe’s songs the way old Bluesmen would play together.
Holcombe hard plucks his songs as if his life depends on it.
If he’s going to play these songs, you’re going to hear them, he’s righteously determined about that, and with a life-ravaged voice, he growls and snarls right through these tunes.
If Holcombe was a wolf caught in a trap, you get the feeling he’d have no problem gnawing off his own paw to be free, and these songs are proof.
I wonder just who some of these songs are about. The narrator in the title track seems weary, caught up short, he’s had a hard scrabble life, yet he’s nowhere ready for atonement.
“This is my life and I may not be worthy,
but I’m here, so deal with it,” he seems to say.
“Happy Wonderland” is full of life advice such as:
“You gotta butter your bread on the right side
Don’t whistle at the women ’round here
That corn fed bible belt mama’s
gotta skillet made for your head,”
and you get the feeling that Holcombe is speaking from experience!
“Fill Those Shoes” is a country plea for salvation, a crooked path of a love song, with a gold foil of a melody:
“I’ve seen lives torn apart I’ve been there,
still coming to
Now I believe you’re the only one
To fill those worn out shoes”
“This time’ll be different,
this time it wont hurt,”
he says in “The Wind Doesn’t Know You,” while the guitars and snare drum merge like knife thrusts and Holcombe’s ragged voice intones triumphantly, as if to convince himself of the truth of the words.
After listening to this collection of songs for the seventh time—these songs don’t hit you all at once, like a ton of bricks, they’re much slyer; like good whiskey, seeping into your brain, you go to stand and you stumble from the sudden unexpected headiness—I get the feeling that Holcombe and the writer Harry Crews would get along just fine, swapping tales of men lost in the Old Testament, folks getting by on the mercy of faith, people trying their level best to make sense of a world that no one truly understands.
Bits & Pieces would make a glorious backdrop to a reading of Crews’ 1978 memoir A Childhood: The Biography of a Place, and I may just have to do that.
Review by Roy Peak
Released June 23rd 2023
https://www.malcolmholcombe.com/
https://sampierre.blogspot.com/2023/06/du-cote-de-chez-sam-par-sam-pierre.html
Malcolm HOLCOMBE
"Bits & Pieces"
"He is one of the greats but too few know it". This is how I ended the review of Tricks Of The Tale, Malcolm Holcombe's previous album (Le Cri du Coyote, #170). Nothing has changed, except that Malcolm, already considered a survivor of many hardships, had, like his role model John Prine before him, to face cancer diagnosed in 2022. He decided with his friend Jared Tyler , his musical double, not knowing what the future held for him, to record a few songs that could eventually lead to an album. So here are Bits & Pieces, thirteen titles composed by Malcolm and interpreted by the only two men (Malcolm on acoustic guitar and vocals, Jared taking care of everything else). The songwriter's voice evokes that of the Dylan of the 2000s, and Jared's performances, notably on dobro and lap steel, illuminate compositions with often dark themes and texts imbued with wisdom and full of what his friends call malcolmisms. . Listen carefully to, for example, Happy Wonderland ("You gotta butter your bread on the right side / Don't whistle at the girls around you"), The Wind Doesn't Know You ("It's a daily battle to wake up in the morning "), Bring To Fly, I Been There, and you will hear so many life lessons delivered with a good dose of humor. He often makes observations about the harshness of life, as in Fill These Shoes: "People are killed for no reason / Some give their lives so that others continue to breathe". Even if you don't understand English (the CD includes a booklet with the lyrics, which is becoming rare), you can't help but appreciate the blues-folk of Malcolm Holcombe and the complicity that binds him to Jared Tyler. Bits & Pieces is his eighteenth album, the fifth since 2016 that I have reviewed for Le Cri du Coyote, and it is without one of his best, even if he has shown, for more than thirty years, a constancy in rare quality at this level.
G Promo PRhttps://listeningthroughthelens.com/2023/06/02/albums-of-the-month-may-2023-2/
Via IVPR Nashville
Malcolm Holcombe
Bits & Pieces
Need To Know
23 June 2023
I was very taken by the previous full-length release from Malcolm Holcombe – 2021’s Tricks Of The Trade (read the review).
Since then he was diagnosed with cancer, so he decided, with long-time confidant Jared Tyler, to get these songs recorded with just the two of them involved (plus co-producer Brian Brinkerhoff), without knowing what the future would bring (thankfully, he has been later cleared of the disease).
There’s an urgency and underlying clarity with Bits & Pieces, Holcombe’s eighteenth album, replete with that trademark rough-hewn voice, the insistent finger picking and the brilliantly phrased observations – eg “People get murdered for no reason / Some give up their lives so others keep breathin’.” – “Fill These Shoes”.
If you’re seeking music that’s edgy, with well-worn stories from an adept old hand who’s been around the block more than a few times, look no further.
https://steemit.com/music/@willphoenix/now-playing-malcolm-holcombe-s-bits-and-pieces
Now Playing: Malcolm Holcombe’s ‘Bits & Pieces'
willphoenix (53)in #music • 2 days ago
Malcolm Holcombe is readying for the release of a new album. It's titled Bits & Pieces and has a drop date of June 23rd, 2023. But first, for those of you not yet familiar with the artist in question, a bit o’ background.
Malcolm Holcombe
According to Holcombe’s official website, is an American singer-songwriter/musician and “a cancer survivor.” Following his “[cancer] diagnosis in 2022, he and Jared Tyler decided to get these songs recorded, just the two of them, not knowing what the future held in store.” He was born in Weaverville, North Carolina, and is now living in Swannanoa, North Carolina.
His rockin’ resume includes 17 previous platters. He first released the 1984 disc Trademark with Sam Milner in 1984. Holcombe’s first solo CD, A Far Cry From Here, dropped in 1994. His most recent release, Tricks of the Trade, came out in 2020.
Signature Sound
Holcombe’s signature sound is a mix of multiple music genres including Americana, alternative/insurgent country, and folk. His songs are often inspired by events, both good and bad, in his own life.
Bits & Pieces
Bits & Pieces is a 13-track album of all original material written by Holcombe. Here on his 18th album, Holcombe leads the way on acoustic guitar and vocals. He is backed by co-producer Jared Tyler dobro, lap steel, baritone guitar, electric guitar, bass, mandola, tenor banjo, classical guitar, drums and percussion, and background vocals.
Track by Track
The lead-in is the title track, “Bits And Pieces.” This is a strong, tuneful tale that effectively introduces us to the artist’s abilities. In a recent e-communique, Tyler spoke of the song.
He said: “[It] was the first song Malcolm sent me for this project and I knew immediately this was going to be a strong and visceral album. This song demanded unexpected solutions in the studio and took me on a profound journey as a musician. Malcolm tells his story warts and all and I believe we’re all better for it.”
The second selection is the fairly vibrant “Fill Those Shoes.” In this song, he appears to share his personal perceptions concerning both past and current events in an overly-generalized sense, of course. It has an underlying hope for humanity and the thought that change is possible if we want it.
The next number is “Hard Luck City.” This one has great potential as a road trip song. Perhaps, more likely, it’d work well on a motion picture soundtrack.
“The Wind Doesn’t Know You” follows. This one focuses on the idea of how people cope with the imperfect moments in life, change, and perhaps getting old as well. “Conscience of Man” is another fine example of how Holcombe uses music to deal with life and how he often has strong feelings and reactions to events in and around his world. It’s actually a positive piece focused on man’s innate goodness.
“Ev’ry Soul Is There” is perhaps a bit overshadowed in its placement. Still, there may be a method to the musical madness since it still easily maintains its own little identity. It certainly sounds like it would work well in those off-the-beaten-path little nigh-nameless venues.
The seventh selection is “Happy Wonderland”. This is another cut that includes examples of what is known, according to a recent email as, “Malcolmisms.” Malcolmisms are essentially his creative way of injecting his song lyrics with his personal advice and perspective. One popular example here is: “You gotta butter your bread on the right side / Don't whistle at the women 'round here / that corn fed bible belt mama's gotta skillet made for your head”.
The eighth audio offering is “Another Sweet Deal.” Whether the song is about touring, life, survival, the future or all of these things is debatable. It puts out a positive message and would also make a good road trip track.
The ninth number is “Bootstraps.” Again, Holcombe’s song stories seem to often deal with perseverance, personal perspective or attitude, and in this case even a sense of maturity. Also included is “Eye of A Needle.” It’s not always the subject that makes Holcombe’s material unique, but his presentation and delivery. This song provides another example of that.
Holcombe’s signature sound remains strong on “Rubbin’ Elbows”. Just like many of his other songs, it comes complete with topical and pop culture references and a solid dose of his own take. He is a performer, not a politician and his music refreshingly acknowledges that.
“I’ve Been There” also includes another noteworthy example of his creative expression of oft’times humorous common sense commentary. “You can make a silk purse from an ol’ sow's ear / You can polish a turd with some elbow grease. / There's a flim-flam floozy full o' booze and boobies / I know I been there all over again”. It’s another example of how Holcombe experiences life and his life experiences.
The closing cut is a cautionary tale as seen through Holcombe’s eyes. It’s titled “Bring To Fly.” It serves as yet one more example of what Holcombe can do.
Overall…
Overall, this album is highlighted by his personal perspective, song stories, and simple yet effective musicianship. His vocals are raw and honest and the focus is on his messages rather than an overly-polished performance. He is a seasoned, traveling troubadour. His sometimes sage-like songs are rife with his particular words of wisdom welcomely expressed in his own musical manner. So, check out Malcolm Holcombe’s Bits & Pieces and explore the “Conscience of Man.”
(Images courtesy of Malcolm Holcombe)
Malcolm Holcombe is a singer and songwriter from North Carolina who has put out several albums since the 1990s. Always interesting, always passionate, always true, his music combines elements of folk, blues, country and rock, songs that come from, and reveal, his own singular perspective and personality. His new album, Bits & Pieces, features all original material. Jared Tyler, who has worked with Holcombe on many of his previous albums, including To Drink The Rain, Another Black Hole and Come Hell Or High Water, is the only musician to join him on this release. Tyler plays dobro, lap steel, baritone guitar, electric guitar, bass, mandola, tenor banjo, classical guitar, drums and percussion on these tracks. He also provides backing vocals and co-produced the album with Brian Brinkerhoff.
The album opens with its title track. There is raw urgency to the guitar work at the beginning, which draws us in, the song having a bluesy folk sound that is wonderful. And check out these lyrics: “Don’t ‘member your name/Your face is missin’/Sounds of the shadows/Your next of kin/Bits and pieces/Empty pockets/Travel light in the darkness/Another lifetime forgotten.” He makes good use of the backing vocals on the chorus, giving those lines more energy, more power. Then “Fill Those Shoes” has a sweeter, gentler vibe as it begins, though the lyrics touch upon a harsh reality, and the song will likely strike a chord with anyone who is paying attention. “People get murdered/For no reason/Some give up their lives/So others keep breathin’.” Yet it is a hopeful song, as his voice rises in the chorus, “Now I believe you’re the only one/To fill those worn out shoes.”
“Hard Luck City” has a lighter, more cheerful sound, in part because of the presence of banjo. There seems to be a joy in Malcolm Holcombe’s delivery even as he sings, in the chorus, “I never listened to you/You never listened to me/Ev’rybody got in my way/Thumbin’ down an ol’ highway.” There is an acceptance in his voice, “Good times goodbye/See ya by and by/In hard luck city,” and as we all get older and we look around, there is that sense, that things can be bad, and they certainly are, but here we are, to look around and acknowledge them. And that’s something, isn’t it? That’s followed by “The Wind Doesn’t Know You.” First off, I love that title. This is one of the album’s most interesting songs, the lyrics coming at us, steady and determined: “It’s an ev’ry day battle wakin’ up in the mornin’/With the rattle of the hustles of the cars and the warnin’/Of the pressure, ev’ry measure/Of the clock tickin’ forward.” But those main lines are the ones that really stand out to me: “And the wind doesn’t know who you are/The wind doesn’t know you at all.” And those are the lines he leaves us to ponder as the song concludes.
“Conscience Of Man” is another powerful number, opening with these lines: “Your love for blood and guns and money/Ain’t gonna steal away my country.” There is anger and passion in the delivery. He affirms that he believes “in the conscience of man.” It certainly can be difficult to do so these days, particularly when there seems to be so much evidence to the contrary, but we need to, don’t we? Then “Ev’ry Soul Is There” features some delicious bluesy folk guitar work. This one is delightful, a lighter, brighter number that makes me smile each time I hear it. Check out these lines: “This town’s got a grudge but it makes no matter/As a matter of fact, dead brain cells scatter/Time stretches a hand up over the years/Love comes back around some way or ‘nother.” This is one of my personal favorites. The tone gets a bit darker, a bit more serious then as “Happy Wonderland” starts. But there is humor here, particularly as he describes how a woman has a skillet ready to hit someone in the head, and in the lines “You can play with matches in your pocket/But the downside’s gonna get hot.”
“Another Sweet Deal” has a cheerful vibe about it. “I got a pocket full o’ keys/To fit ev’ry lock/To the doors of your heart/And safe deposit box.” Again, there is a wonderful humor to those lines. Also, I love that guitar line, as well as that lap steel. “I got a friend with a truck/A truck and a trailer/He loads up my junk/And owes me a favor.” Then “Bootstraps” begins with some pretty work on guitar, and has a sweeter, pleasant vibe. Something about this track soothes me, even though certain lines make me sad. This track features one of the album’s best vocal performances. That’s followed by “Eye Of A Needle,” which also contains some passionate vocal work. “The moon slipped on by/Didn’t turn up a dime/Not a drop in the bucket/Turnin’ sixty-five.” And, yes, Malcolm Holcombe turned sixty-five two years ago, when this song was written.
In “Rubbin’ Elbows,” he sings, “Don’t quit your day job/Gone above your raisin’/He was a big shot/Nothing’s worth savin’.” I love that little growl that punctuates the end of lines, not just on this track, but others. Though here, it is particularly effective. And I appreciate the chorus: “Rubbin’ elbows/Kissin’ babies/Snubbin’ poor folks/Lovin’ favors.” This is another of my favorite tracks. It is followed by “I’ve Been There,” which is a fun song, with a playful sense about it in the lyrics and in the music. “You can change my mind when I’m poor and hungry/You can rob me blind with a suit and tie/There’s a special place for a face with a crooked smile/I know I’ve been there all over again.” I love it. The album concludes with “Bring To Fly,” in which he sings, “Still the hope of one will rise/To bind the wounds and hear the cries/Of precious souls he won’t deny/The wings of goodness bring to fly,” a nice thought to leave us with.
CD Track List
Bits And Pieces
Fill Those Shoes
Hard Luck City
The Wind Doesn’t Know You
Conscience Of Man
Ev’ry Soul Is There
Happy Wonderland
Another Sweet Deal
Bootstraps
Eye Of A Needle
Rubbin’ Elbows
I’ve Been There
Bring To Fly
Bits & Pieces is scheduled to be released on June 23, 2023.
POSTED BY MICHAEL DOHERTY AT 11:10 AM
https://www.moorsmagazine.com/muziek/singer-songwriter/malcolm-holcombe-bits-and-pieces/
Malcolm Holcombe is a survivor who always looks really bad - sometimes you think he's actually too sick to stand up, but then he starts playing the guitar and singing and then you forget all about it and you're totally overwhelmed by his songs . This time he has conquered cancer, and Bits & Pieces is the album he recorded with his regular musical partner Jared Tyler when the diagnosis was known, because they did not know how long they would have.
You might think that gives this eighteenth album by this unique singer / songwriter something extra urgent, but Holcombe's songs always have that urgency. Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, Steve & Justin Townes Earle, and Iris DeMent are all fans of Malcolm Holcombe, the inimitable, quirky, utterly unique songwriter and musician.
If you've ever seen a Holcombe performance you know how magical it is in a mysterious way - you feel like you're watching and listening to a genius from another planet as he talks about the most earthy and raw things of the world. life sings. Holcombe and Tyler recorded this album in pairs, with Jared Tyler on second voice, guitars, mandola, dobro, banjo and so on, and the two form a special unity that together create magnificent and perfectly fitting arrangements for Holcombe's songs.
This eighteenth album is again a completely unique jewel of an album - to listen to in silent admiration.
· Malcolm Holcombe – Bits & Pieces – Proper Music / Need To Know
https://www.messengernewspapers.co.uk/news/23561015.kevin-bryan-delivers-verdict-new-cd-releases/
Malcolm Holcombe, ”Bits & Pieces” (Proper Music/Need To Know)
Listening to “Bits & Pieces” it isn’t too difficult to understand why roots music luminaries such as Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle and Lucinda Williams should speak of his work in such glowing terms. Malcolm’s perceptive insights into the human condition are delivered in the world weary tones of someone who’s no stranger to life’s trials and tribulations, and this compelling singer-songwriter’s 18th album benefits, as always, from the invaluable presence of his perennial musical partner, the supremely gifted multi-instrumentalist Jared Tyler.
Kevin Bryan
http://folk.wales/magazine/?p=2511#MICK8217S_QUICKS
MICK’S QUICKS
► Prolific songwriter and gravelly-voiced acoustic guitarist Malcolm Holcombe was born in North Carolina in 1955 and is a cancer survivor; following his diagnosis, both he and multi-instrumentalist Jared Tyler decided to make the impressive album Bits & Pieces (independent label, no catalogue number), recorded in country capital Nashville. He doesn’t let up at all, and he attacks all 13 tracks with positive energy and conviction with Jared multi-tracking dobro, lap steel, guitars, percussion and tenor banjo – it’s highly entertaining stuff. FolkWales verdict: Thumbs up!
G Promo PR
Glide Premiere
“ In the realm of shamefully underrated singer-songwriters, Malcolm Holcombe has to be near the top of every list. The Western North Carolina lifer is truly the real deal with his genuine vibrato filled with explosive anguish and hard-traveled grit. And that grit took another step as he recently battled cancer and is now a survivor. His 8th album Bits and Pieces is out in late June and will be one of his boldest statements to date as he takes his renowned underground folk resume towards a broader scope with help from his longtime musical companion Jared Tyler, who added instrumentation and produced Bits and Pieces.
Glide is premiering the courageous “Fill Those Shoes,” which pummels along with the ragged glory of Guy Clark and the vibrant curiosity of John Hiatt. We can see why Holcombe is a favorite of the Nashville scene and beyondas it’s the growling guitar and chugging musical interplay that gives Holcombe’s music an extra stamp of natural musical fuel.”