Prolific singer-songwriter Tim Easton is back at it with his 14th LP, fIREHORSE. Consisting of 10 tracks and featuring accompaniment from country star Lainey Wilson’s rhythm section, the album is a paean to songcraft and a testament to Easton’s prodigious gifts as a composer and performer.
Tales of survival are at the core of fIREHORSE, whether that means his own or someone else’s. Opening track “River” is swampy blues-folk amalgam that draws on a near-death rafting experience for inspiration. There’s an introspective existential thoughtfulness to it that feeds into succeeding tracks “Heaven and Hell” and “Cottonfields.” The former is a folk-rock piece that finds Easton reaffirming his commitment to a relationship, emphatically stating that “we’ll hold each other ‘til this mess is through.” On the lowkey “Cottonfields,” Easton is traveling, reminiscing about the life experiences and lessons that define him.
