CD Review: Kelly’s Lot – Another Sky
by Antony Bailey for Country Music News International Magazine
- Butterfly
- I Will Find You Again
- Foolish Try
- Freedom
- Took It Back
- Tangled
- The Irish Luck
- Simple Man
- Lock Me Up
- Christmas Is Calling
- Sleep On It Tonight
- Hurricane
The American singer-songwriter Kelly Zirbes recorded and released her 15th album with her band Kelly’s Lot back in August 2020 titled ‘Another Sky’. This record was well received by the country music world, and she continues to write and record music with her ensemble, and they have sixteen albums to date.
The first tune to appear on the record is called ‘Butterfly’. The music begins with the acoustic guitar and Zirbes’s soaring vocals singing ‘There goes a butterfly’. This track transcends musical borders while still managing to retain its traditional country roots.
‘I Will Find You Again’ begins with the guitar and fiddle and the solo is not to be missed. ‘Destiny takes me to faraway lands / fighting for freedom and rights of all man’’ is a line that is thunderously delivered by Zirbes while the song drifts delicately between dynamics and transitions. ‘Foolish Try’ crosses into international music genres with the use of Latin rhythms and other instrumentation including what sounds like a Spanish guitar.
The fourth song on the album is ‘Freedom’. The music leads the listener down a hallway of uncertainty and the silence is as dramatic as the instrumentation and the vocals. ‘Took it Back’ injects more energy into the tempo and the drums are back to drive the music forwards once again. ‘’You have my love, and you took it back’’ is sung in the chorus by Zirbes as it adds more poignancy to a great track with a blend of genres.
Other tracks on the include ‘Simple Man’ and ‘Lock Me Up’. The former includes soaring vocal melodies and irresistible acoustic Latin American rhythms to complement the country music while the latter sees another increase of energy. The 60s-inspired grooves take the audience on a trip down memory lane and although the lyrics are about being broken-hearted, the music includes a driving drumbeat with tight fills to tie the track together.
The final song on the album is ‘Hurricane’. The drums push the song forward and it helps to add more impetus and power to the composition. This album is already fast approaching its third birthday and it’s still well worth a listen.