Charles Latham's Little Me Time
Release date: September, world-wide Jan. 13, 2017
By Anita Overcash @anitaovercashDurham-based singer/songwriter has penned a new album upon his return to North Carolina, following years of travel both in the U.S. and across the pond (England). His music, which falls into antifolk territory, is a mix of alt-country, folk-fused melodies.
For Little Me Time, he's teamed up with other Triangle-area musicians, including Catherine Edgerton who provides backing vocals and Omar Ruiz-Lopez, whose striking string arrangements grace the disc.
Kicking off the album is "American Traditional," a blaring critique of this country's backwoods mentalities, apocalyptic sentiments and blind ignorance. There are rabid fiddles amidst steady acoustics to back and lyrics ring "Don't go out when the sun goes down. Stay inside if you're able... Jail's full of guilty men and all the politicians are honest...There's a dawn coming like no dawn before. It's a dawn, that's no dawn at all."
Other tracks like "Come Up Short" and "Like A Sister," come alive via roaring horns and "Next To Nothing Blues" with its rambling guitar pickin' have a touch of pop-folk tinged acoustics — akin to singer/songwriter Matt Costa.
Tracks like "Dressed Up For Nothin'" and "Take You For Granted" are filled with wallowing twang via pedal steel and an overall honky-tonk vibe.
Another track, "The Letter/Blank Pages" takes a rootsy acoustic approach with strings that warm the lonely lyrics.
The disc concludes with "The Living Wage" an anthem about the blue-collar delusions that hard work leads to happiness. "For the living wage, you're told you should be thankful. You should learn to follow rules, learn to listen to superiors..." The track was recorded with the Durham Living Wage Project in mind and proceeds go to support the non-profit.
A 12-song disc, Little Me Time is personal and relatable. Comprised of well-crafted tracks that criss-cross musical genres, the album's cover even features Latham posed in front of a "Self" inscribed tombstone. We dig it.