Nashville based singer-songwriter Michael Kelsh , a founding member of Southern Culture On The Skids, makes gentle folk songs that need to be here now on Well Of Mercy, his third solo release.
Kelsh’s songs function as dreamy folkified hymnody in the parlance of common language, uncommonly good guitar work, roughly whispery vocals, and the sweetness of human spirit examined through melody. “Restlessness”, “Last Train To Redemption” and the beautifully uplifting title track visit and revisit themes of grace, forgiveness, and love (always a good topic, Hemingway told us).
Joy Lynn White and John Cowan are Kelsh’s heavenly angel choir, lending glorious harmony. Stu Cole of Southern Culture On The Skids adds warmth and earthiness on upright bass, and steel guitar moves like a river through the slow burn of Kelsh’s exceptional picking. Bringing it all home on the mandolin-led “Down In The Valley Revisited”, Kelsh offers up both prayer and promise, leading directly into the stunningly moving instrumental closer “Bartholemew”.
