LYRICAL EVIDENCE: What a cool sound, and on top of that, Russ‘s incomparable voice. I have always i feel it‘s getting better and better. I really hope there will be more albums. He‘s one of the few artists who just keeps getting better with age. The recordings are also of very good quality, which makes listening even more fun. A big compliment from me, and keep it up ! @markusruegg721 YouTube
I got a chance to listen to Always Moving Ahead a couple times. The record really hits its stride on #'s 4 & 5. This is very much in the vein of the sort of creativity that I have had so much fun with of late. Denser. Taking things in new directions. Leaves me wondering where it is all going. Excellent tracks. I loved the inside cover art and accompanying ode to the road. Such different times. ~ Eric Sutherland
Russ Hopkins goes deep on "Down and Out"
Album Review by Tim Van Schmidt
Man, I have not felt this excited about a new album for some time.
And I'm talking about an ALBUM- as in an LP vinyl album. When I received my advance copy of Russ Hopkins' newest collection, "Down and Out", the package was a lot bigger than I expected. Yeah, there was a CD in there, but also a brand new, fresh, absolutely contemporary LP. It has been decades since one of those has been added to my collection.
Okay, so the retro format was exciting to receive. And that is in keeping with what I have been hearing- vinyl has been making a comeback, even surpassing CDs in sales.
But beyond the coolness of actually having a new record to play on my turntable, Hopkins' album is a satisfying and engrossing production. Each song goes a little somewhere different, though it is all rooted in blues. Here, we're talking delta blues, country blues and a unique blues twist on vintage traditional British ballads. "Down and Out" doesn't stay in any one slot for long.
Hopkins will be familiar to longtime NOCO music fans as a performer, songwriter, recording artist, studio engineer and record producer. For years, his studio, Kiva, was responsible for the lion's share of regional releases ranging from singer-songwriters to full-on rock bands.
In his career as a musician, "Down and Out" is Hopkins' twelfth full length studio release. I remember when I first heard Hopkins' music back in 1989- on cassette.
The new record was co-produced by Hopkins and Colorado Sound Studios' Kevin Clock. The sound is crisp and clear- revealing both the brightness of his unique finger style guitar work and Hopkins' emotionally nuanced vocal style.
The songs on "Down and Out" were cherry-picked from Hopkins' extensive performing repertoire and include blues classics such as "Goin' Down to Richmond" and "Nobody Knows You When You're Down and Out". There are a couple of originals here, like "Old Man Shuffle" and the touching "My Moonbeam" but also tunes by Tim Buckley ("Buzzin' Fly") and the Beatles ("Blackbird")- all stamped with Hopkins' distinctive acoustic blues style.
Perhaps the most striking song on the album is "Pain of Your Love," by another longtime NOCO musician, Arnie G'Schwind, which benefits from a relatively big production, plenty of supporting vocals and a reach-for-the-sky vocal performance by Hopkins. When he's saying he's feeling blue, you believe him.
Add in some traditional songs such as "Deep River Blues," "Rosemary Lane" and "Hesitation Blues," all arranged and enhanced by Hopkins, and you have an album that is worth listening to again and again. That's what an album should be, right?
The players on "Down and Out" include John Magnie, Eric Thorin, Jerry Palmer, Tom Capek, Ernie Martinez and Steve Amedee- an A-list of NOCO musicians who add plenty of flavor to each track. But don't be distracted by that- the central musical vision here is Hopkins' deep understanding of the material and his ability to evoke simmering emotion again and again, verse after verse, song after song.
Great stuff. Love the banjo on Down and Out. Long time fan of Clapton's version of this tune. You're giving him a run for his money! Who doesn't love a Doc Watson tune with a solo geetar… The old man shuffle might be my favorite… Will keep listening… Beautiful blues rhythms…
Nick Paul Smith
I think you succeeded in having an open, yet intimate feel on your latest release Down and Out. The mic you used on your voice was unobtrusive without having that oft encountered horse blinder (cupping) effect. Your voice has hints of about 5 different artists. Kudos to your team and fellow musicians!
Tim Harrison
I've listened to your new album Down and Out a couple of times now and enjoyed the listens! Your long associationwith Kevin Clock/Colorado Sound is very evident, especially your excellent acoustic guitar(s) sound. The counter lofi 'ish guitar sound on Blackbird I think is a good departure from Sir Paul's original with it's massive public presence and sound. I really like the upright bass on the songs. The staccato bowing on 'Hesitation Blues' is a nice technique/part! Nice variety of sounds/instruments on all the arrangements. Nice flow between all the songs. Best to all involved!
Craig Caudill
“SONGS OF LOVE AND DEATH is a collection that features traditional and original ballads that tell stories of tragic misfortune. "...very unique lane of songs about love and death! Fascinating material." ”
— John Magnie
“ One name that might be familiar to longtime local music fans would be Russ Hopkins. As a seasoned performer and a recording studio operator, Hopkins contributed plenty to the NoCo music scene. Today, Hopkins lives in the Berthoud area, plays gigs occasionally, and, most importantly, continues to record in his private studio, collaborating especially with area guitar virtuoso and music arranger Jerry Palmer. That brings us to Hopkins’ latest release, “Buffalo.” It’s a 2020 collection of traditional folk tunes that transcend the deceptively simple musical makeup of the songs to tell some riveting stories. The characters in these stories are drinkers, lovers, soldiers, buffalo skinners, murderers, beggars, and dreamers. As the storyteller, Hopkins stays out of the way as these characters reveal the dire things that have happened to them and their loved ones. He keeps the music — both vocals and the spare accompaniment — to a low simmer. This allows the collection of hard-luck pioneers and jilted lovers who are gathered here to tell their gritty truths. Have you ever really listened to the full lyrics of familiar songs like “Working on the Railroad” and “Clementine”? They aren’t kids’ songs at all and you can hear them here. Another familiar folk song, “Tom Dooley” — made popular in the 1950s by The Kingston Trio — is a grim tale of killing and the last thoughts of a condemned man. It’s not all dark. “A Jug of This,” an a cappella ode to a favorite drink, is lighthearted — as long as everything comes back to that drink — and “Begging I Will Go” lets a proud bum have his day in the sun. Hopkins vacillates between traditional English folk music and Western country-folk sound — and those things are not necessarily unrelated — but what remains the same here is the distinctive voices Hopkins brings to life. The production does feature some tasteful ear candy — some cool slide guitar and other touches — but for the most part, “Buffalo” is about setting the stage so the people in the songs can take over. And take over they do, spinning yarns of mischief and mayhem. ” - Tim Van Schmidt
— North Forty News
“Americana/folk rock sound... Earthy undertones flow throughout his pieces, creating an old Western ambiance. His poetic lyrics combine with beautiful harmonies and melodies rich with acoustic honesty, transporting listeners to a different time. His hauntingly beautiful, deeply rich voice reminds you of Johnny Cash circa “Hurt.” In a world filled with bubbly pop and club remixes, it’s refreshing to find honest lyrics presented in a way that makes listeners reflect on themselves.” - - Crystal Campbell, Lindsay Nichols & Maggie Canty-Shafer