TRUTH TRUST & OTHER GHOSTS is the second studio CD from Austin singer/songwriter/guitarist, Jim Halfpenny. With a sound and vibe that’s been described as a cross between Tom Petty, Paul Simon, Steve Earle, Bob Dylan and Dave Matthews, Halfpenny’s music swims with both the sonic and lyrical sophistication that could make it a solid mainstay on AAA, Americana, Modern Rock and even World radio formats.
Austin American-Statesman writer, Alex Daniel, is quoted in his newspaper's review of the CD, "..earthy, country-tinged roots rock sound that’s right at home in the (Texas) Hill Country...the album really punches when Halfpenny drives the music home with stark, relatable images."
With an album this strong it’s difficult to pick out the standout tracks. Each song is very lyrical, visual and melodic. The first song, Blue Sun, starts out with a very infectious beat and leads up to fluid chorus and a few sonic surprises. Dandelion, the CD’s first single, is a beautiful yet haunting tune about a woman who lives in “a fortress of stone” alone (perhaps gratefully) with whispering spirits of shipwrecked sailors who’ve met their fate on the rocky coastline below. Echoes is a sweet, quirky love song that pays a heartbroken homage to an eccentric hippy chick that “wore bicycle shorts but didn’t own a bike” and lived in a “funky little apartment off Barton Springs, close to bike path and everything”. Blind Pigs is an edgy, accusingly up-tempo tune that verbally stabs back at an ex-lover’s betrayals. Track number seven, My Class Ring, is a mid-tempo look at high school days in a small town. The album stays strong to the very last track where the lyrics of Ghosts in the Sidewalk recall a reverent stroll along Hollywood Boulevard where the “zombie-fied spirits” of faded movie stars reach up through the “stained concrete” for long-lost attention.
Trust Trust & Other Ghosts was recorded during the months of June through September of 2009 and was produced by Keith Davis (Scott Wiggins Band, Kevin Fowler, Django Walker) and mixed by Pat Manske (Robert Earl Keen, Joe Ely, The Flatlanders, Terri Hendrix). After cutting the initial drum and bass tracks at The Zone (engineered by Mike Morgan) in Dripping Springs, TX, the remainder of the album’s parts were recorded at Back 40 Studios, Halfpenny’s personal audio/video recording facility near Driftwood, TX. In addition to regular band members Brandon Storms (drums), Alex Sefchick (bass) and Hunter Dryden (guitar), guest artists include vocalist Stephanie Briggs, Eric Barrera on pianos, Keith Davis on guitar and a special appearance by Chris Thompson, of the Eli Young Band, who plays drums on She’s Afraid to Drive at Night, which he co-wrote with Jim in 2009.
Trust Trust & Other Ghosts is a collection of finely crafted songs that everyone should hear. More info on Jim Halfpenny can be found at www.jimhalfpennyband.com, with inside album, lyrics, song and recording studio scoops at www.jimhalfpennyband.com/ttog.htm.
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