Adam Trice isn't much for refinements. Give him a few spare sides and get the ball rolling. While his lyrics have always been perceptive and introspective, in general Red Sammy albums have been freewheeling affairs. The craft comes before everyone gets in front of the mikes.

Red Sammy Vultures (self-released)

These songs sound a bit more worked-over. Maybe it was COVID or maybe it was something else, but I get the feeling that Trice tried out these songs a bit more before recording. They're slightly more easy-going, slightly more approachable. And that's saying something, given how Trice's sometimes raggedy voice and ringing guitar sound like a permanent invitation to bourbon on the back porch.

If you don't know, Trice is from Baltimore. Not "somewhere near," but Baltimore. That comes through in many of his songs, but more often than not his songs are rooted in the mind. Perhaps one doesn't think of Charm City as the perfect setting for a rock-inflected bluesy folkie (is that a thing? It should be), but it seems to suit Trice just fine.

Every year or two there is a new Red Sammy album, and with it more reasons to smile. Trice doesn't go gentle into anything, but his songs have the uncanny knack of bringing a sense of peace. No matter how messed up the world is, you're still alive. As always, he's got a point.

Jon Worley