WMOT- On The String: Jim Lauderdale Finds Cause For Hope
The best song - okay my favorite song - on Jim Lauderdale’s new album Hope comes at the very end. Talk about showing restraint. I mean, the album is colorful, tuneful, meaningful and enriching throughout. But just when you think it’s winding down, we hit track 13, which bursts forth with a propulsive, insistent two-chord acceleration and a soaring harmony line, as Jim and guest vocalists Lille Mae and Frank Rische sing the hallelujah title: “Joyful Noise.” It’s a good encapsulation of Jim’s spirit. His music almost always smiles….