By Brian Rock
Rebecca Porter rolls into the spotlight with her country album debut, Roll with the Punches. Hailing from the land of Patsy Cline, Porter follows in her footsteps with yearning tales of heartache and hope. Her classic, honky tonk angel voice, and a heavy helping of pedal steel transport you to a simpler era. But she brings those classic tones to the modern age with touches of cosmic country and country noir.
“The Laundry Pile,” is classic country AM radio gold. The weepy pedal steel sets the tone as Porter sings, “Half dirty and half clean, it’s one hell of a thing to feel like you’re one basket from losing your mind.” Unlike 50’s submissive stereotypes, Porter isn’t just focused on domestic duties. The laundry pile soon transforms into a metaphor for relationships. Porter continues, “Half in love and half out, there just ain’t no damn doubt that this love might be too far gone to save.” Asserting herself, she declares her independence with a fiddle and steel guitar flourish.
“Payday Loans,” is a fiddle forward honky tonker that bemoans the cycle of work and bills as a “dance without a song.” The honky tonk strains continue on, “The Devil.” Wondering whether the unknown devil is worse than the one you know, the lively fiddle and steel guitar clearly urge us to take a chance on something new. Porter adds pulses of Hammond organ to emphasize her critique of smiling liars on, “The Mountain.” Singing, “Don’t promise me the mountain with no dirt on your hands;” she calls out people who are all words and no action. On the song, “Wings,” she wonders when her higher self will ever take flight. “Roll with the Punches,” adds spaghetti western influences to recount her problematic past relationships. But like steel in fire, her past pains have only made her stronger. “Shadow of Doubt,” continues the spaghetti western feel with an overlay of country noir to create a haunting vision of suspicion and turmoil. Porter brings banjo heavy Texas blues to the defiant, “No Evil.” Slowing the pace and adding cosmic cowboy vibes on the pleading, “Let Me Go;” Porter channels the heartbreaking timbre of Patsy Cline and Kitty Wells. Continuing the spacey, cosmic cowboy tones, she takes a moment to reflect on the ups and downs of her past on the tender, “Memories.” Proving that whatever doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger, Rebecca Porter doesn’t just “Roll with the Punches,” she punches back with a fiery, honky tonk attitude.
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Brian Rock
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