PETE MOLINARI - A Train Bound For Glory

Now, I'm not exactly sure if Pete Molinari is indeed bound for glory à la Woody Guthrie, but hopefully he'll get as close to it as possible. Yes, this British troubadour's that talented, as his new album abundantly proves. From the moment my ears caught the strains of his 2008 release A Virtual Landslide, it was apparent that Molinari was successfully putting his own twist on the '60s singer-songwriters (Dylan, Phil Ochs, Tim Hardin, for starters) who had deeply inspired him, all the while sticking close to his chosen template.

But if Molinari's a traditionalist, he's a damned good one, as A Train Bound For Glory makes for an excellent follow-up to his previous recordings. Recorded in Nashville instead of the U.K. this time out, he and his bassist and drummer are accompanied by a large assortment of country and folk-rock musicians, including Elvis' backup singers, The Jordanaires. The end result is an irresistable batch of ballads and up-tempo tunes which evoke the restless life of a lonesome drifter, without resorting to timeworn clichés. Quite the opposite; Molinari's melodies, soul-searching lyrics, and somewhat androgynous tenor voice all add up to a pretty timeless disc.

My personal fave cut here is "New York City", and fittingly enough, this album's as close to capturing and updating that vintage Greenwich Village countryfied-folkie vibe as anything you're likely to hear these days.