Stephen Fearing has had a fertile twelve months. The superb Between Hurricanes dropped a year ago, then his rock band’s South, now a second collaboration with Andy White. This album is a lot like Blackie and the Rodeo Kings’ latest. They boast the same drummer, Gary Craig, who injects extra oomph. Fearing tends to sing low harmony with White, the opposite of his role with Blackie. “Another Time, Another Place,” a ballad with the two trading verses, effectively showcases their contrast and unity. Each has Irish roots, resulting in the bittersweet “Emigrant Song.” Fearing plays well with others and rarely stops writing, which has generated this mid-life breakout year.
This article appears in Jul 17-23, 2014.