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Album reviews Music

Dylan LeBlanc – Cast The Same Old Shadow

DYLAN LEBLANC plays the Danforth Music Hall on September 26. See listing. Rating: NN


Twenty-two-year-old Louisiana songwriter Dylan LeBlanc is a sad-sounding young man. On his sophomore album, he wails about old times, lost love and aging over swelling, gothic guitars and organs.

Despite Trina Shoemaker’s expert production and an impressive cast of supporting musicians – Alabama Shakes touring member Ben Tanner on keys, Dylan’s father and Muscle Shoals session player James LeBlanc on guitar, three very good pedal steel players – LeBlanc’s garbled vocal delivery only serves to obscure weak lyrics. He seems to be affecting an Eddie Vedderesque world-weariness in order to get away with referring to someone as “little darling.”

But his ears are in the right place instrumentally. He’s a sensitive acoustic guitar player, and a few songs hint at classic Neil Young and early Neko Case noir.

Top track: Brother

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