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Jason Ringenberg, A Pocketful of Soul *** 1/2
Courageous Chicken Records

Peter Cooper; The Tenneseean, Nashville, Tennessee
September 4, 2000

This one is disconcerting at first, initially because of the whistling wind sound effect on Oh Lonesome Prairie but mostly because experiencing country-punk innovator Jason Ringenberg as an acoustic folk singer is a drastic transition from the expected: something like hearing the Sex Pistols’ Johnny Rotten perform show tunes.
The first time Ringenberg recorded without his furious band, The Scorchers, was for 1992’s One Foot In The Honky Tonk, a country album that contained several winning songs but suffered from less than invigorating, paint-by-numbers production. Where OOne Foot In The Honky Tonk sometimes sounded like watered-down Scorchers music, A Pocketful of Soul is something entirely different: It’s a stripped-down song set with an emphasis on country music’s folk roots.
That’s not to say Ringenberg has left his rockin’ past completely behind. The gospel march Under Your Command opens with a Ramones-like “Hey, ho,” and the ancient-sounding Trail of Tears is actually a cover taken from the catalog of ‘80s guitar pop band Guadalcanal Diary.
But, with the exception of some beautiful steel guitar work by Fats Kaplin and a few understated electric guitar leads from producer George Bradfute, Ringenberg’s new album dwells in quiet, unamplified spaces. It’s good stuff, too: The Price of Progress is an effective narrative in which an old farmer takes explosive revenge on an intrusive Tennessee Valley Authority project; Last of the Neon Cowboys simmers with banjo and steel and Merry Christmas My Darling is a soldier’s desperate letter home.
The transition from frantic frontman to earnest guitar strummer will take some getting used to or longtime Scorchers fans, and some will prefer the wild-eyed Jason to the Ringenberg who sings about his wife (the excellent title cut) and daughter (For Addie Rose). As for the wind on Oh Lonesome Prairie...I’m still not used to that. But A Pocketful of Soul is a triumph of less-is-more (but not lo-fi) production and a showcase for Ringenberg’s often-ignored songwriting skills.


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News Meet The Scorchers Learn Back to Reviews > Look		Albums Reviews Jason Ringenberg, A Pocketful of Soul *** 1/2 Courageous Chicken Records Peter Cooper; The Tenneseean, Nashville, Tennessee September 4, 2000 Copyright 2000-2004 The Tennessean This one is disconcerting at first, initially because of the whistling wind sound effect on Oh Lonesome Prairie but mostly because experiencing country-punk innovator Jason Ringenberg as an acoustic folk singer is a drastic transition from the expected: something like hearing the Sex Pistols’ Johnny Rotten perform show tunes. The first time Ringenberg recorded without his furious band, The Scorchers, was for 1992’s One Foot In The Honky Tonk, a country album that contained several winning songs but suffered from less than invigorating, paint-by-numbers production. Where OOne Foot In The Honky Tonk sometimes sounded like watered-down Scorchers music, A Pocketful of Soul is something entirely different: It’s a stripped-down song set with an emphasis on country music’s folk roots. That’s not to say Ringenberg has left his rockin’ past completely behind. The gospel march Under Your Command opens with a Ramones-like “Hey, ho,” and the ancient-sounding Trail of Tears is actually a cover taken from the catalog of ‘80s guitar pop band Guadalcanal Diary. But, with the exception of some beautiful steel guitar work by Fats Kaplin and a few understated electric guitar leads from producer George Bradfute, Ringenberg’s new album dwells in quiet, unamplified spaces. It’s good stuff, too: The Price of Progress is an effective narrative in which an old farmer takes explosive revenge on an intrusive Tennessee Valley Authority project; Last of the Neon Cowboys simmers with banjo and steel and Merry Christmas My Darling is a soldier’s desperate letter home. The transition from frantic frontman to earnest guitar strummer will take some getting used to or longtime Scorchers fans, and some will prefer the wild-eyed Jason to the Ringenberg who sings about his wife (the excellent title cut) and daughter (For Addie Rose). As for the wind on Oh Lonesome Prairie...I’m still not used to that. But A Pocketful of Soul is a triumph of less-is-more (but not lo-fi) production and a showcase for Ringenberg’s often-ignored songwriting skills. © 2000-2004 — The Tennessean — All Rights Reserved

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