I think Tom Bolton would be a good friend for my dad. He’s such a friendly looking guy. Unoffensive, normal, conservatively dressed. His expression on the cover of his latest album, When I Cross the River, screams, “Hey man, put your waste in the proper receptacle.” But that’s Tom Straight-up. Just a folk singer trying to get heard. No ripped jeans, no piercings and certainly no crip-walking after 10:30. And it works. When I Cross the River lends a hand to Bolton’s predecessors: Joni Mitchell, Bruce Cockburn, Leonard Cohen the list continues. There can never be a surplus of talented contemporary singer-songwriters. With a voice reminiscent of a Canadian-born Morrisey, Bolton croons his way through the tracks on When I Cross the River. It may not have too many standout tracks, but it’s a noble effort rooted in good ol’ fashioned songwriting. So give it a spin, if you’d like. (Andrew Seale)
CD, www.sensibletom.com