Singer/Songwriter Tommy Howell Releases “American Storyteller” 

Tommy Howell’s American Storyteller is a throwback in the best possible way. The actor known as C. Thomas Howell has taken on a different moniker for his debut musical collection, but the same guy shines through. Onetime rodeo star and son of a famed stuntman, Howell’s love for roots music comes through during each of the album’s eleven tracks. It isn’t mere mimicry, however. Howell clearly lives and breathes this sort of music and the unmistakable relish he brings to each of the album’s tracks carries the songwriting and listeners alike into another world. It is an outstanding release certain to resonate with everyday listeners and longtime devotees of the genre.

URL: https://tommyhowellmusic.com/

He’s working in a mode familiar to many. The country/blues rock/rock idiom is obvious from the get-go. “Whiskey Demon” has already proven to be a popular single for Howell and its combination of Howell’s convincing drawl and the gritty musical accompaniment helps push the track over the top for listeners. The subject matter is familiar to listeners, albeit with a twist. Howell’s lyrics never indiscriminately celebrate alcohol and its charms but, instead, slips in cautionary lines about its power.

The second track “Rose Hill” goes in a different direction. The essential musical character of the piece remains the same as before, albeit toned down from the opener’s snarling grit, and the increased nuance helps weave substantive atmospherics for the listener. Nothing, however, is ever heavy handed. “Lady Luck”, however, is straight up blues rock with a measured buildup beginning the track. It erupts soon enough into a full-blown blast of rugged blues and Howell commandeers the track with expert skill you might not expect from the longtime actor. It’s clear he’s honed these talents long before ever committing music to recording.

“’88” is familiar fare in some ways. It’s a look back to a simpler time in Howell’s mind, much more acoustic based in nature than the aforementioned tracks, and a guaranteed winner with the album’s target audience. The heavy presence of harmonica nods once again to its bluesy roots while the brisk pace will definitely pull listeners into its world. The track “Cold Dead Hands” will not please any staunch anti-gun advocates, but they are unlikely to be listening to this album anyway. It’s a simmering blues stomp with some surprisingly deft wordplay given the subject matter and may put some listeners in mind, musically, of Steve Earle’s “Copperhead Road” when it first starts off – mood-wise, not the subject matter.

Howell opts for ending the album with numbers that are far from the fire-breathing fury that begins the release. “Possessed”, American Storyteller’s penultimate tune, has a slow smoky ambiance that Howell capitalizes on with one of his best vocals. Closing the album in such a way bookends its opening character without ever feeling premeditated and helps push this collection into contention as one of the best new releases of 2023. Tommy Howell may have built his name as an actor, but these songs may reveal his true calling.

Samuel Pratt