Junction Rd where Alt. Country and Rock collide with 14 songs filled with Guitar licks and Hooks.

 Jim Armstrong wastes no time and hit’s the pavement hard with the opening song called “Dollars In His Wallet”.  The upbeat tempo Alternative Country/ Rockabilly sets and hits the bar high right off the top. After this song finished playing I couldn’t wait to hear what was going to come next. I’m not particularly a fan of country music but with the mix that Jim has composed with “Dollars In His Wallet” I couldn’t help but find myself being brought into this genre a little more. The Bass in the song really comes out and makes an impression in the song as one of the main sources of the rhythm and texture. Combined with the drums the bass to me is one of the stronger aspects of the song. I often found myself focusing on the rhythm section more than I was listening to the vocals and guitar.   The guitar solos in the song are not be undermined either, but to me the rhythm of the song is the heart of the song.  

Up next is “One Day At A Time”, to sum up the song in really quick would be calling the song as a Bruce Springsteen influenced song. This is one of the few time where I have heard the vocals quite similar to that of The Boss. A little of the Alt Country feel has been left off the album but in place there is the hint of blues and a classic rock sound. The vocals take a bit of a backseat behind the instruments in the song as they are recorded a little quieter. Jim doesn’t forget to add his personal touch with a couple of guitar licks thrown in for good measure.

“Joanne” has a bit heavier and a faster tempo Blue Rodeo feel. Having the Blue Rodeo feel is one of the reasons why I fell into listening to the song a few times during my first pass through the album. Jim’s vocals really take control of the song, but he still keeps lots of room for his skill full guitar playing. One of my favourite aspects of the vocals is the scorch and roughness but also fills in with smooth  The organ which is played at the start of the song adds a nice little extra additive accent. The second last minute in the song is where I get drawn right Jim’s guitar playing, if I was ever to see this Jim play live this song will have to be a definite.

“Worn Out Shoes” comes in as one of the more toned down country songs on the album. While not focusing entirely on Country the bass really takes the song in the direction. The  backing vocals timing couldn’t have been recorded any better in the song, they do not overshadow and the fading towards the end of each line is excellent. The scratch and smoothness in Jims vocals have the crowning blend effect which escalates the song  against a couple of the other tracks on the album.

You can pick up your copy of Jim Armstrong Junction Rd by visiting http://www.sonicdelirecords.com/