{Originally published in UR Chicago Magazine, June 2008}
LANGHORNE SLIM TRANSLATES A VINTAGE SOUND
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So much of Langhorne Slim seems at first to be a throwback to the very genesis of American music. His name alone brings to mind the sepia-toned image of depression-era radio when artists with names like Scrappy Lambert and Memphis Minnie ruled the airwaves (born Sean Scolnick, Slim took the name of the Langhorne, Pennsylvania town where he grew up). He dresses the part as well, specifically with the ever-present bowler on his head. And his music – a harmonious blend of folk, soul, blues, and rock – contains within it the energy and essence of those that came before. Even his live show recalls the spirit of a tent revival in a dusty Appalachian town.
More than a nod to artists of yore, though, Slim evokes the sounds of yesteryear while simultaneously advancing old-timey music to a post-contemporary landscape. After a critically acclaimed solo debut (When the Sun’s Gone Down), he now brings his brand of Americana to Kemado Records along with band-mates, The War Eagles (Paul Defiglia, on upright bass, and Malachi DeLorenzo on drums). Produced by Josh Ritter keyboardist, Sam Kassirer, Langhorne Slim & the War Eagles is, in Slim’s words, “our most comfortable, cohesive and soul-shaking music to date”.
A slight departure from the 2005 debut, the banjo-laded ditties have been shelved a bit in favor of lush piano and string-instrument orchestrations, resulting in a more immediate and accessible sound sure to draw a wider audience. With a recent appearance performing the soul-shaking single, “Restless”, on Late Show with David Letterman, this folk-pop sound is drawing some well-deserved national attention. “My hope is that you get better with age,” Slim says. “It’s a constant path to find your voice and to express what you’re doing as truthful and bad-ass as possible. I’m on my way, but I’ve got a long way to go.”
Though Slim is looking forward, the ghosts of his apparent influences haunt the latest release. The undulating boot-stomp of The Pogues, the bittersweet soul of Ray Charles, and the country-twanged folk of Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger are all felt at various points. At the core, though, is the element that is likely what gives the music such a timeless feel: these are love songs. Despite any association between folk music and politics, Slim draws the comparison, but also draws the line: “For now,” he says, “I deal in the politics of love”.
-JASON HORINE
