AMERICANA A bar-room bard’s breakthrough
VINCENT NEIL EMERSON
Vincent Neil Emerson LA HONDA/THIRTY TIGERS 8/10
Texan troubadour’s Rodney Crowell-produced third
Prior to landing on Colter Wall’s radar, Vincent Neil Emerson had spent most of his adult life playing bars and honky tonks around his adopted home of Fort Worth, Texas. But labelmate and fellow songwriter Wall was so taken with 2019’s Fried Chicken And Evil Women that he took Emerson out on tour, introducing his keenly observed folk-country songs to a wider audience. The patronage of others, including Leon Bridges and Charley Crockett, didn’t hurt either. His latest champion is true Texan royalty itself, Rodney Crowell, who signed on to produce this self-titled follow-up, bringing with him a bunch of seasoned session players.