As singer-songwriter Phil Cramer points out, where you’re from is always part of your identity, even when you live elsewhere. Though the Charlotte, North Carolina, native is a longtime New Orleans resident that cherishes his adopted city’s vibrant art scene, memories of family and the Tar Heel State are still deeply rooted, hence the premise of several eloquently waxed originals. Even the name Steele Creek, the duo he formed with fiddler extraordinaire Will Bowling in 2019, has a North Carolina connection: the waterway flows from Charlotte to South Carolina past his great-great grandfather’s farm.
The proceedings’ centerpiece is a trio of tunes, “Come on Home,” “Further Down the Line” and “I’ll Be There,” based on the lives of his grandparents. “Further Down the Line” envisions Cramer’s grandfather walking the hills with his ancestors. “Come on Home” pleads for a prodigal family member to return home, despite his shortcomings. The sunny “I’ll Be There” expresses the desire to reunite with a loved one.
At times, Cramer’s writing has a philosophical bent. As evidenced by “Florida,” relocation doesn’t necessarily mean instant utopia. The hazy, introspective “Cathedral” advocates finding inner peace to offset the chaotic, outside world.
Initially, Cramer and Bowling attempted to record the album on their own until they realized it was fruitless. So, with fellow singer-songwriter Andrew Duhon’s recommendation to try Dockside Studio near Lafayette, Louisiana, Cramer and Bowling traded proximity for seclusion. To bring these songs to life, producer and engineer Justin Tocket brought in a crew of talented sidemen, including multi-instrumentalist Bobby Schneck and organist/pianist T’Ben Alleman. The unhurried arrangements are beautifully ornamented and deep with finishing touches, like drifty piano lines, dobro twangs, and moaning guitar tones—in addition to Bowling’s expressive bowing and textured string-plucking. Cramer answers the bell with one passionate performance after another to the point there’s not much left of his soul to bare.
