Nonsense and Heartache

Album review

Jerry Leger, it’s most and foremost eleven albums of American roots music, an undeniable rock’n’roll vibe, and yet still a complete unknown on our side of the pond. Although he keeps his distance with the world of glitter and showboating, his music is a real slap in the face, as Leger brims with inspirations and once again proves his talent as a songwriter and a composer with Nonsense and Heartache. The album is made up of two very distinct faces, opposite from one another and yet complementary, similar to what Willie Nelson did on his Phases And Changes. A way for Leger to underline his musical approach, as Nonsense is more electric, while Heartache is more acoustic. A voice that at times borrows from Dylan, a scruffy cow-boy look, contemporary poet, and a true gift to hypnotize anyone who listens to him, Jerry Leger undeniably holds all the cards. This great opus opens with Coat on the Rack and its electric riffs in tune with a slightly raspy voice, illustrating a true swamp of problems that people must sometime overcome. Then country rock takes over, still with original themes in the vein of Steve Earle, with Baby's Got a Gun before switching to The Big Smoke Blues, a proper hit song coated with the voices of a choir that harmonise the overall result. “Man for rock’n’roll, or the country waltz” introduces the B-side of his Nonsense and Heartache. Melancholy, sorrow, guitar with a country swing, and memories blend in a misty landscape where nostalgic shadows keep on dancing. A piano melody accompanies Pawn Shop Piano and Lucy and Little Billy the Kid, two very emotional ballads. Here’s an album that goes through a myriad of emotional phases carrying an intense musical heritage. It is therefore not surprising to hear Jerry Leger evoke artists he’s always admired: Hank Williams, Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Buddy Holly, Neil Young, Thelonious Monk, Loretta Lynn… © Clara Bismuth/Qobuz