Larry Sparks - Almost Home

(Rounder 11661-0662-2) 2011.

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Larry's sole for Rounder is another excellent album with several memorable songs and 42:06 running time. Recorded at Taylor Mill, Kentucky, musicians include Tyler Mullins (banjo), Carl Berggren (mandolin) and Larry D. Sparks (bass), plus guests Jeff Brown, Don Rigsby & Ron Stewart.

The CD opens with the title track Almost Home, an uptempo catchy number with a descending fiddle sequence that is guaranteed to rattle 'round your brain. This is the first of seven really strong tracks which take up the first half of the CD.

Blue Mountain Melody, the second track, slows the pace and has a haunting melody on the chorus and a bluesy feel. Jeff Brown's tenor is a perfect match for Larry's lead vocal, and Ron Stewart provides some excellent smokey fiddle backup.

Lines On The Highway, the third track, picks up the pace again with another ear-worm chorus line and fine guitar break. Ron Stewart's expressive fiddle and Larry D's bass helps drive this along.

Track four, again slows the pace with Momma's Apron Strings tugging at sentimental heart strings. Larry has a knack with delivering nostalgic material, and this is a fine example.

Track five, Gunfighter's Revenge by Pete Goble & Leroy Drumm, is a splendid spaghetti western ballad about a gunman out for revenge over the shooting of his fiancée...

Track six, Back Road is a fine instrumental that includes in passing a lick or two from Clinch Mountain Backstep. This is the only instrumental on the album and was written by Larry.

Track seven is another masterpiece with Marshal Warwick's There's More That Holds The Picture, a nostalgic piece describing the background behind an old picture of grandpa & grandma.

The remainder of the CD is not quite as strong as the first seven cuts, but is still enjoyable: Picture Me There being a tale of a homesickness when spending a transitory life away from home; a version of Hank Locklin' 1957 hit Send Me The Pillow You Dream On; and Bring 'Em On Back another catchy number with a nostalgic call to bring back the old days...

The penultimate song, Momma uses the same 'letter to mother' writing technique previously featured on John Deere Tractor. Like most sequel's however, the song is less successful.

An uptempo version of the spiritual Somebody Touched Me closes the album.

This is another of Larry's albums which comes highly recommended...

Larry later re-recorded Momma's Apron String and Bring 'Em On Back on It's Just Me (2023).

• Larry Sparks: guitar, lead & harmony vocals
• Carl Berggren: mandolin
• Jeff Brown: tenor vocal
• Tyler Mullins: banjo
• Don Rigsby: tenor vocal
• Larry D. Sparks: bass
• Ron Stewart: fiddle

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