The press release that accompanied this disc came with glowing recommendations from Lucinda Williams and Rolling Stone magazine, which is fairly heavyweight support for someone operating well under the radar of all but the most enthusiastic consumers of singer/songwriters - and that’s a real shame as this disc deserves to be heard by a much wider audience.
Likened to Guy Clark & Townes he falls somewhere between country, folk and blues, and elements of all these are easily identifiable – it’s obviously Southern in flavour but there’s a real streak of individuality throughout that differentiates it from the output of similar artists.
The obvious standout as a new listener is his voice – it’s certainly distinctive and a little gruff and gravelly, but over the course of the disc he reveals himself to be a good singer with a huge range of emotion that goes from menacing to tender and back again. It’s just as well he’s equipped with such a voice because the lyrics demand strong delivery – the opener ‘The Station’ is a study and reflection on the lives of the destitute, it’s a powerful song and perfectly delivered. At the other end of the spectrum is ‘Sleepy Town’, a delicate ode to a baby who is being rocked to sleep – it’s an equally powerful song that is beautifully performed and sung and it provides contrast to the material that surrounds it. Other highlights include ‘Who Carried You’ and ‘Love Abides’ – both lyrically superb songs in a traditional singer/songwriter vein that reward the listener over repeated listens.
Instrumentally his own guitar work stands out, and this is filled out with bass, accordion and fiddle amongst others, and while the range of instruments may not be huge this is an album full of dynamics, and the feeling of light and shade is skillfully reflected in the arrangements as well as the lyrics.
‘Another Wisdom’ is a stunning album that shines in all areas – he may be a serious and thought-provoking writer but he also has a good ear for a melody, and the disc has an accessible quality often missing from the work of comparable artists. Holcombe is a singer/songwriter in the purest sense of the phrase – a true poet and balladeer. Highly recommended.

£13.49