Album Review: No Time Flatt's "Calling After Me"
The first time I heard No Time Flatt perform was at the inaugural Tennessee Music Awards event. All five members of the ensemble (Kevin Wright, Patrick Cupples, Becky Weaver, Kevin Keene, and Steve Moore) lined up on stage, each with a microphone in hand, and proceeded to deliver the most beautiful harmonies. They performed to an enthusiastic crowd, who enjoyed the familiar songs and bluegrass twang.
This past August, No Time Flatt released a new album of both original songs and covers: Calling After Me. After having enjoyed their live performance, I was looking forward to hearing No Time Flatt on their record.
Calling After Me opens with a cover of Jim Croce’s “I’ll Have To Say I Love You In A Song.” Being used to the understated original version, I’ll admit that hearing the song as a bluegrass tune was a little jarring at first. However, the excellent vocals conveyed the proper tone of the song, and by the end of it I was singing along. I think that’s where No Time Flatt’s speciality lies—their powerful vocals are infectious, and whoever is listening to them will inevitably find their feet tapping to the beat.
The album’s fifth track, “I’ve Lived A Lot In My Time,” reminds me of the genre of outlaw country and singers like Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. The original song was written by Jim Reeves, a “Nashville sound” country singer, but I couldn’t help but think about “Mama Tried” by Merle Haggard when I heard No Time Flatt’s take on it. The lyrics include references to fighting “the Grim Reaper down in the dark valley” and looking through “the bars of a cold, lonely prison.” The song’s narrator is one who’s seen and done it all, and the quick, upbeat music carries the listener through the story without pause.
“I think that’s where No Time Flatt’s speciality lies—their powerful vocals are infectious, and whoever is listening to them will inevitably find their feet tapping to the beat.”
“Calling After Me,” the album’s title track, is another great storytelling song; this time, No Time Flatt takes on the narrative of a Civil War soldier reflecting on the battlefield. The song was written by bassist Patrick Cupples and sung by guitarist Kevin Wright. It’s a somber take on the war, with the soldier seemingly hearing his mother calling for him in what may be his final moments. Even so, the banjo’s steady melody will stay with you long after the song ends.
Other notable songs on Calling After Me include “Ten Plagues,” a ballad about Moses and Pharoah, and “Whiskey & Tears,” the album’s fast-paced closer. Calling After Me is available on AirPlay Direct, Spotify, Google Play, iTunes, Amazon, and most other digital outlets. If you enjoy a classic bluegrass sound with a modern twist, check out No Time Flatt. They’ll have you singing and dancing along in no time.
Learn more about No Time Flatt on their website.
Originally from Medon, Tennessee, Olivia Chin is the Circulation Manager at the Union University Library. Her best Halloween costumes (so far) have been David Bowie and Freddie Mercury. Her favorite hobbies include drinking local coffee, reading true crime novels, and going to emo concerts with her husband.
Photography provided by No Time Flatt.
