'Broke Down' is Slaid's second release on Rounder, and this disc realises the potential he showed on his earlier album. A cross between country and traditional singer-songwriter material, the majority of tracks on this album are bare, acoustic based songs with a strong narrative. He is an excellent storyteller, and this is ably demonstrated on the title track, a superb, yet bleak relationship story; and on the Dylanesque 'Breakfast in Hell' - an epic tale of a logger on the Musquash River (a track in a similar vein to 'Cold Missouri Waters' on the Cry Cry Cry disc). Elsewhere he provides the musical backdrop to Woody Guthrie's lyrics (a la Billy Bragg & Wilco) on 'This Morning I Am Born Again' and there are some superb harmonies on Del McCroury's 'I Feel the Blues Moving In'.
Slaid has a strong voice that suits the sparsely arranged songs perfectly, his voice works well with the subtle instrumentation, and the emotive lyrics generate a real response in listener. This disc takes you for a roller-coaster ride, all the highs and lows of human emotion are here (mainly the lows!), but the subtle humour and hopefulness on a number of songs make the ride a little easier. The 10 tracks form a first class collection that deserves to find a place in many homes - highly recommended.
".If you like your songwriters honest, emotive and with melody then look no further than Slaid Cleaves."

£13.49