Rod Picott’s eighth studio album ‘Fortune’ takes a dramatic about-turn from his usual style, but it’s not as evident in the sonics of the 12-track record. Instead, changes in the lyrics and themes take precedence, as the singer/songwriter has become known in the Americana field for writing about other people, and now finds himself tackling his own experiences, joys and problems for an authentic look at one man’s journey through life. The former construction worker quit his job in 2000 to begin writing and recording music, and has carved an impressive career for himself considering he has done it without any label backing. Therefore it seemed an appropriate time, on the fifteenth anniversary of throwing all his eggs in one basket, to reflect on what brought him there, and what took him beyond that to 2015. The result is a series of introspective vignettes exploring messy relationships with family members and lovers, lessons learned and the grateful realizations of a man steeped in humility.
The gentle folky tune ‘Elbow Grease’ is one such example. “No-one ever knew my father’s name, I had bad directions but I found my way,” he admits, before wondering out loud, “How’d a wreck like me ever get this far?” The driving and vehicle references are subtle, but that subtlety affords the song an element of discovery, where every careful listen uncovers another reference, another connection. “I broke my back trying to find that song, threw a straight right just to keep some pride. I gave a middle finger to the hurt inside.” Particularly on this track, and on the record as a whole, we find Rod clearly identifying exactly who he is, almost as if reaffirming to himself in times of doubt. Those times of doubt crop up regularly throughout too, as pulling through each lilting track of conflicting emotions and strife reminds us of the small victories that must be celebrated as we drag ourselves through the tough times. “Things are easy now,” he muses on ‘Alicia’. “And I know now who I am, but that don’t mean I forget how it felt to be that other man, the one who loved you so damn hard, the one who you took in and tore all apart.” Such a perfectly-crafted line reminds us that no matter how much we move on from pain and hurt, we’ll always remember how it felt. It will never truly leave us, leaving a permanent imprint.
It’s fair to say that ‘Fortune’ is an album full of the scars that make us who we are. ‘Jeremiah’, for example, tells a sad story that many listeners will find themselves relating to in the death of soldiers while in the line of duty. Rare for this record, Rod sings not from his own experiences, but takes the song from the standpoint of the wife of a fallen soldier. He examines not just her own pain but the impact such an event has on every family, “sisters cry and dads can’t speak, girls like me sleep alone, a mother’s work is never done, and soldiers don’t come home,” He sings mournfully on the chorus.
There are still yet more scars from his own history to dig into. ‘This World Is A Dangerous Place’ and ‘I Was Not Worth Your Love’ both do so with gentle folk touches and rough rock ‘n’ roll respectively. ‘Uncle John’, meanwhile, delves into the southern gothic with a tale about a family fight; but there’s more to it than it appears. ‘Secret Heart’, like ‘Alicia’, also muses on the love and emotion left behind, caught in the annals of time and leading to those scars that make us who we are. ‘I’m On Your Side’ takes yet another angle, assuring a loved one that he will stick with her through the bad times, “Looking for each other through the rubble and the dust.”
But this is not a sad record, and somehow Rod’s pre-occupation with chance and luck keeps us feeling uplifted. It hardly bears arguing that those who have survived hardship must rely on something to keep them going, “Maybe that’s what it takes, a good heartbreak, maybe it grows back stronger and the next time it can last longer, maybe that’s what it takes,” he sings thoughtfully on the opening ‘Maybe That’s What It Takes’. ‘Until I’m Satisfied’, too, is a testament to the hard work and strong spirit required to get through life, whether applied to the music industry, artistry, or anything else. Ultimately, however, Rod’s various references to the title and the ups and downs of life come to a head on the closing track ‘Spare Change’. “Rain falls when God spills his cup, way down here forever cleaning up,” Rod sings, going on to make multiple references to coinage and the nature of the hand we’re dealt in life. Still, he surmizes, it’s all in how you deal with that hand as to how you succeed in life.
And I would say that Rod is leading by example.
Originally posted here.
