Review Summary: To measure the horizon, give me just a bit more time
Chris Eckman might not be the biggest name, but he’s got quite the list of musical accomplishments, having been involved in records released over five different decades now. He’s been a focal point for acts like The Walkabouts and Chris & Carla, while also joining Willard Grant Conspiracy and Midnight Choir for several efforts, not to mention his well-regarded solo releases.
The Land We Knew The Best marks the singer-songwriter’s latest project, a batch of moody yet reflective country-ish tunes of notable quality. This record feels both intimate and immense - leaning heavily on Eckman’s whiskey-and-cigar voice, gruff yet emotionally potent, but also incorporating a bevy of assorted instrumentation which adds a sense of grandeur to each track. The songs are (mostly) slow and measured in their pace, advancing steadily until they reach their natural limits and go no further. The lyrics may be poetic, but err on the side of simplicity, feeling elemental, as ageless as the landscapes these songs effortlessly evoke.
About those landscapes - Eckman himself relocated to a new home country of Slovenia in recent years, a geographic shift which, if Bandcamp album blurbs are to be believed, was a key influence on the the vibe of these songs. I haven’t been to Slovenia, but apparently it’s a mountainous place, so forgive me if my mind wanders while listening to these poignant pieces instead to the striking Rocky Mountain landscapes of the American West. Regardless, this album represents grizzled old man music at its finest - there’s indeed gold in these hills, and
The Land We Knew The Best dispenses its rough-hewn wisdom to anyone lucky enough to hear it.
