Divisadero

Ted Russell Kamp released three albums of sturdy country rock in less than two years, while also serving as the bass player in Shooter Jennings’ backing band the 357’s. The New York born, L.A.-based performer covers the entire alt-country spectrum from juke- joint rockers with a revved up bar-band backing (“Swinging Doors”) to sweeping ballads that feature gorgeously-stretched pedal steel licks, warm tremolo-ed electric guitars and rich, Eagles-stacked harmonies (“The Last Time I Let You Down,” “Close Your Eyes, Maria”). While Kamp doesn’t quite possess the aching fragility of Gram Parsons (or Parsons’ tendency towards sloppy phrasing), he does intimate a sincerity that goes a long way towards putting these songs across without pretense. You believe him when he confesses “Music Is My Mistress,” which flows like a seasoned John Prine tune. Duets with Shooter Jennings (“Better Before You Were Big Time”) and Jessi Colter (“Looking for Someone”) exhibit the genuine joy of singing a heartfelt song with a close friend.