After a pair of solid releases that established Robert Ellis as an eccentric singer/songwriter with a traditional country foothold, his new self-titled LP is as definitive and weirdly beautiful a statement of defiance as you’d expect from a guy whose primary touchstones are Paul Simon and Randy Newman, as opposed to Townes Van Zandt and Jerry Jeff Walker. Perhaps that’s why the two best tracks on a uniformly great record—the structurally sophisticated yet effortless opener “Perfect Strangers” and the brooding, soulful “California”—are keyboard-based. Already an acknowledged ace on guitar at 27, Ellis has been reacquainting himself with the keys over the last few years. Ellis will be guest editing magnetmagazine.com all week. Read our new feature on him.
Ellis: I would simply like to share one of my favorite records with you guys. I’ve been a big fan of John Hartford for some time now, and probably listened to Down On The River thousands of times. Every time I hear “Right In The Middle,” I feel completely in love. The arrangements on this record are pretty unique across the board. I love the fiddle ensemble, harmonized and thickly layered all over the album. Whether I’m walking around Manhattan or driving across west Texas, this is one I just keep coming back to. In the “wrecked on an island scenario,” this would definitely be on my list.
Listen to Down On The River here.
