There’s something reassuring about receiving a new Kimmie Rhodes album in the post. Firstly, we know from the start that it will be a quality offering that will be full of wonderful songs, hope, warmth and personality and ‘Cowgirl Boudoir’
This is Kimmie’s first album of original material since she released a covers album in 2013 and it’s a winner. Co-writes abound, most notably with son and album producer Gabriel Rhodes. Johnny Goudie, who credits seeing Cheap Trick at the tender age of 13 as changing his life forever also joins in on songwriting and adds guitar and piano to the album.
The result is a classic country album and Gabriel Rhodes has produced and mixed it beautifully. Slide guitars are everywhere interspersed with ukuleles and mandolins. Kimmie’s vocal are sweet and crisp as ever. Songs such as ‘Lover Killin’ Time’, ‘I Am Falling’ and ‘Will You’ are instant attention grabbers. ‘The Sky Fell Down’, shows an innocence in Kimmie’s vocal and with Gabriel’s sitar playing running through the song the effect is both mystical and wonderful.
We’ve met Kimmie at previous Belfast shows and corresponded afterwards via email. Not only is she a wonderful songwriter, but one of the loveliest people in the music industry that we’ve met.
She has written songs for many high profile artists such as Willie Nelson and Mark Knopfler, yet there isn’t a hint of selfishness or ego, just warm open honest human being and listening to ‘Cowgirl Boudoir’ in a dim room with a glass of wine in your hand is like sharing a room with an old friend who’s telling stories.
Kimmie plays the Real Music Club in Belfast’s Black Box on the 19th of March.