It’s just a coincidence that I’m writing about this album on Halloween but it’s fitting nonetheless. You know you’re in for a good time when an album comes with an epitaph that’s a German proverb — especially this one: ““Love, thieves, and fear make ghosts.”
Fear not — Thompson doesn’t get Gothic with his hauntings, though the songs do linger. Thompson’s voice has a rasp that’ll call to mind all of the punk kids you used to know, though Thompson establishes his folk bona fides by letting himself and his band stretch out — the shortest song on the album is three minutes long.
Thompson’s stories feel familiar — but you’re glad they didn’t happen to you, making Ghosts From Two Towns Over an apt title. Thompson incorporates punk and even some strains of Celtic music into his Americana. His delivery is punchy, giving his arrangements a bit of spice — even in the more languid songs. Listening to the album, you can tell Thompson and his band feel like they’ve hit paydirt. The band catalogs disappointments and heartbreak, but the joyfulness of
the creation itself alleviates the song’s emotional low points. It’s cool to listen to a band enjoying themselves and pushing each other further.
Kevin Michael Thompson — Official, Facebook, Purchase
Thanks for reading! You can hear Kevin’s music on the Adobe & Teardrops podcast this Friday — or subscribe to our Patreon to listen now! You can also support the blog by dropping a tip in our Ko-fi cup!