Seth Walker

Why the Worry

Royal Potato Family

 The worry that Seth Walker had been feeling about completing this album ultimately became primary in the shaping and choosing of its songs, but secondary to the anguish of his fellow North Carolina mountain town neighbors after Helene’s pummeling. Walker had shaken off the inconsequential, but then the historic storm nearly derailed the album altogether. This astonishingly gifted and ridiculously underappreciated songwriter, singer, and guitarist seems to have leaned on faith. Faith in himself and of letting go, and faith in a higher power. In the title song to Why the Worry, Walker sings “Only God knows the end of your story, so why worry.” Simple, yet profoundly sage advice, set like everything here to Walker’s own magical blend of roots music ingredients.

Why the Worry spotlights five new Seth Walker originals, the title song co-written with the Wood Brothers’ Oliver Wood, and “Midway Girl” with the Band of Heathens’ Ed Jurdi—not at all shabby choices for collaborators. Wrapped around them are six contrasting yet beautifully cohesive covers, his choices displaying a diverse yet complementary palette of interests and inspirations.

The album opens with a take of Bill Withers’ essential “The Same Love That Made Me Laugh,” Walker turning down the funk of Withers’ version in favor of a breezy arrangement that combines a bit of Calypso, some jazz, a little blues, and a touch of rock to spread its elation.  To these ears, Walker’s whispery delivery in the song calls to mind another unsung songster, the late Michael Franks, albeit in a deeper register. What an ideal start that sets a relaxed tone for the wonderful music to come.

Credit to Jano Rix in his fifth co-production with Walker. Along with engineer Brook Sutton, they created a crisp, clear atmosphere and emphasized the natural aspects of the song, the singer, and the players. The band, in addition to Walker, includes his longtime cohorts Rhees Williams on guitar and piano and drummer Mark Raudabaugh. Multi-instrumentalist Rix and several other guests add deeper layers in key places.

“Why the Worry” manages to convey tension and nonchalance at once, Walker pulling pointed and extraordinary blues guitar licks to accentuate the jittery aspects of it. In “Up on the Mountain,” he delivers happy R&B, mountain-style, and in a lightly dancing rendition of Ugandan Michael Kiwanuka’s “I’m Getting Ready,” Walker’s classically trained father, Scott Walker, adds to the ether with his gorgeous string arrangements.

Taking on Al Green’s “Take Me to the River” takes nerve, but Walker and crew pull it off in a novel, splendidly spare and snappy rendition. The easy moving but expertly performed “Midway Girl” envelops the listener in beauty, the players locked on an irresistible groove, Walker picking little gems of notes from his guitar. That plays well with the two J.J. Cale tunes presented. The skip-along, whistle-at-a-lady “Hey Baby,” and the gorgeous, pensive nature of “Magnolia,” each lay out different sides of both Cale, and of Walker and his fine band.

Concluding an album titled Why the Worry with the late, great Louisiana songwriter Bobby Charles’ “I Must Be in a Good Place Now,” so gently, shows brilliance of forethought in soothing action. Why the Worry sounds fantastic in every regard, and stands anew as Seth Walker’s most accomplished album to date. But I say that every time he releases one.

Tom Clarke for MAS

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