Born out of the middle of Birmingham, Alabama, Ramblin’ Ricky Tate is not just a performer but a sound historian and wanderer committed to the artistry of the Blues, Folk, and Bluegrass genres. With a voice that seems seasoned on the road, Tate covers the miles necessary to revive long-lost tunes, all while intertwining them into his own original pieces, which are as passionate as they are dark and haunting. On May 1st, Tate welcomed us into his world with the release of “The Magnolia Sessions,” a record consisting of eight songs that is nothing short of a live performance delivered from the comfort of his front porch. This is an unadulterated and unapologetic set of songs, requiring full engagement from its listeners, so sit back, relax, and take us through this emotive album.

In the song “Drifting,” we first hear the soft scrape of fingers across strings before hearing a low, slow bass that imitates a tired heart. With the guitar in place, the vocals come in next with a raspy voice that feels like it is drawn out from the depths of the well. The song deals with a character who seems to be an alcoholic. He mentions that his sweetheart asked him to put the bottle down but he couldn’t. The lyrics also tell us that this character recognizes that his drinking is putting space between him and his sweetheart but yet still, he can’t help himself. In terms of the music itself, “Drifting” is quite bare and stripped down, with the sound of creaking wood and audible breathing, giving it a tense and personal feeling. To the audience, “Drifting” places them instantly under the cover of a magnolia moonlit night.

However, there is a slight change in the mood as we transition to the next song, “July June Bug,” which features a faster tempo and the use of more country infused percussive strumming technique, which emphasizes sharp and bright accents on the higher strings. The song discusses the ephemeral joy associated with seasons and the transitory nature of the comfort one gets from companionship. Using June bug as a symbol, the author conveys the idea of a doomed love affair that can lasts only for the summer. In this song, Ricky Tate sings in a somewhat more melodic voice that accentuates his longing through prolonged pronouncing of certain syllables.

The track “Catch Some Hell” breaks that last bit of peace with a sound of what a typical night sounds, complete with the sound of crickets, strong and attacking movement from Tate’s guitar, making for a gritty, blues-inspired stomp. It’s a song of coming to terms with one’s actions and the repercussions of a life lived to the edge; the words are rebellious, recounting the story of someone who admits all his flaws and warns the woman interested in him that he’s “the devil” and she’s going to go through hell if she chooses to be with him. What defines the music is its edge, Tate sings with a new sort of power, almost snarling at times, and plays with an almost desperate energy, bringing home the idea of a man who has run out of road. It hits you hard like a cheap shot of whiskey does

The introduction to the song “Tangled String”  opens with the artist telling us listeners that the song is about getting your heart ripped out and thrown around like its nothing and then involves an intricate cascade of finger-picked notes, weaving an almost delicate melodic tapestry.  This intro is unique to me because not many artists tell you what their song is about from the get go. The theme revolves around the intricacies of human relationships and how messy and sometimes painful they can be, no matter how much we try to disentangle ourselves from one another, knowing well enough that undoing them would involve breaking something integral and getting hurt in a major way that will require a lot of healing. This song is for anyone out there who has been hurt so bad that it felt like their heart had  literally been ripped from their chests. There is a sense of vulnerability in the vocals in this song, with the higher notes sung in a strained manner as though a man is at the end of his tether. The musical accompaniment is sparse yet delicate, with space being used effectively within the track to create a sense of tension in the relationship.

“Devil’s Due” reintroduces the darkness into the album via a slow and menacing slide of the guitar on the fret board that produces a threatening low growl. This song focuses on a character who is looking at the devil’s face in the mirror but, the catch is that, the devil that he’s looking at is actually himself. Because he’s the devil, he lets us know that there is no escape for him anymore and wonders where he can go to escape himself but, unfortunately, that’s impossible. The self awareness of this character is admirable and is the first step in the right direction, when it comes to overcoming his own demons. The atmosphere of the song is quite gloomy due to the heavy Southern Gothic lyrics that speak about the presence of an unwanted crossroad and shadows that do not belong to their owner. Musically, this song can be characterized by its slow, yet menacing tone in which each sound can be felt like a step on the mud; besides, Tate sounds quite secretive while singing this piece.

“The intro to ‘Blood Or Wine’ is an array of ringing open chords with a melancholic, church-like sound that sets the stage for a song that is about walking the fine line between salvation and destruction. The vocals deal with the dilemma of trying to attain salvation via faith and vices and asking which one will really be the means of escaping the darkness. The vocal is extremely soulful in its wide range that goes from a thoughtful humming to powerful and resonating belting. The instrumental part does not overwhelm; it remains consistent, allowing space to focus on the profound conflict of spirituality within the track.”

With its first note, “The Witch” disrupts the silence with a harsh dissonant sound, followed by a rapid, jittery flat-picked pattern. With “The Witch,” we are transported to the dark world of superstitions.  The lyrics are poetic, creating a narrative tale of the witch  who the character saw in a graveyard. He goes on to say that this witch, cast a spell on him. Musically, this song is experimental and ominous, using the guitar to capture the unpredictability of the night’s forest. Tate’s voice is sharp and rhythmic, leading us through this dark world and affecting us with feelings of terror and exhilaration.

Concluding the album with “Words You Can Say” starts off with a simple melody, and in hearing it, one can feel the sense of a deep breath after a long period of struggle or tension. The theme of the song revolves around the idea of finality and the incapability of human language to encapsulate all the nuances of human feelings or express how much a final farewell hurts. In other words, this song is about what comes after we run out of words to say. What makes this song unique is that the vocals come in completely naked and bare without pretense, aggressiveness, or artifice while the instrumentation is sparse and has a sense of drifting away.

By embracing the beauty of the spontaneity found in a field recording, Tate brings us the same magic found in an evening chorus of crickets being as much a component of the arrangement as those guitar strings. You will be immediately transported into the world that can only be found in Music City in the fading light of twilight. Among the many great artists who have recorded within the series Magnolia Sessions, including such notable artists as Tyler Childers and Lost Dog Street Band, is now added Tate, whose music could not find a better match than this format. “Tate was the perfect fit,” as one listener said so well in summing up his performance. He embodies all that is authentic about a combination of old-time folk, jug band, and Delta blues. When listening to this album, I was absolutely hooked; not once did I find myself wanting to skip ahead to the next song. It’s rare that an artist can create such an immediate intimacy, one that allows you to forget about the digital audio format you’re listening to and instead be transported into a roomful of people with the performer singing straight to your soul. It is this depth of expression that truly impresses me, and has left me impatiently waiting for what comes next.

Stream “The  Magnolia Sessions”album on Spotify