Jason Ringenberg will be best known to many as the frontman of the Americana/Outlaw Country band Jason and The Scorchers. Their vibrant cow-punk sound and high-energy performances revitalised the country genre in the 1980s and 1990s. In 2021, Ringenberg has lost none of that vibrancy or energy as is evidenced on his latest guitar-heavy release ‘Rhinestoned’.
‘Rhinestoned’ mixes covers of timeless classics with thoughtful original material that is engaging and relevant to today’s world. The country-rock vibe of ‘The Freedom Rides Weren’t Free’ could easily be about the American BLM protests of 2020, yet, the song’s origins lie in the protest movement against the segregated bus system of the 1960s. Set in the fields of Flanders during World War I, ‘Before Love And War’ deals with the effects of enforced separation by conflict. Showing his ability to write a radio-friendly country-rocker, ‘Keep Your Promise’ is classic heartbreak country.
Given new a life as a rocking folk song, the Carter Family classic ‘The Storms Are On The Ocean’ features the vocals of Kirstie Rose. Daughters Addie and Camille Ringenberg join in on ‘Christ The Lord Is Risen Today’ for a left-of-field version of the old traditional hymn. Hank William’s ‘You Win Again’ gets an electric honky-tonk makeover that has more than a hint of the Rolling Stones about it.
Standing out head and shoulders on the record is the mythical take on the historical character of Crazy Horse. ‘Once I Rode With Crazy Horse’ came to Ringenberg in a dream and from there he constructed an epic six and half-minute folk-rocker that finds its roots in the Lakota/Oglala legend about a cousin of Crazy Horse who fought every battle by his side right up until his death.
‘Rhinestoned’ is a high-octane release by an old master who still has all the best tunes and knows how to play them.