MINTON SPARKS – Gold Digger (Self-Release available at CD Baby)

Minton Sparks - Gold DiggerI’ve always found it a fine line to draw when considering the difference between some songwriter’s lyrics and poetry. Take Van Morrison or Bob Dylan as perfect examples of this. What is equally intriguing is where a poet likes to add a musical backdrop to their art. For this, take John Cooper Clarke as an example. Amongst the folk scene, this separation of lyric and tune is seen where many are happy to grab a set of lyrics from one song and set them to the tune of another.

Over in Nashville, Minton Sparks has garnered herself quite a cult following with her Southern gothic poetry fused into music with a dark edge. She’s been described as “the ghost child of Flannery O’Connor and Hank Williams”. Her first few records found her writing as if an observant school child watching the adult misdemeanours of all around with their drinking, adultery and general bad behaviour. All set to a back drop of acoustic blues and roots flavoured music.

Her new record, ‘Gold Digger’, finds Minton’s writing age has reached her teens. The title track itself finds her sneering at those girls “looking for a sugar daddy” and wearing “lipstick thick enough to paint the town square”. As befits her speaking voice’s maturing years, the music has become more up tempo though she still finds her home in the blues. The acoustic blues flavouring of ‘Desperation’ finds a juke joint singer lying around drunk at home with her husband “like a coonhound waiting on Sunday”. Mind you, I wouldn’t like you going away with the idea that this is all about looking at the underbelly of society. No, sir. She also has a sharp sense of humour which is prevalent on ‘Streaker’ where “daddy never made a doctor but he damn sure was a streaker”. As with all good poets, she can shine a light in some of the darkest of corners and adds the music as a soundtrack to these revelations. If you’re drawn towards music that’s hard to put in a pigeonhole, head this way for a quite unique talent.

Steve Henderson

Artist’s website: www.mintonsparks.com


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