Far From Saints sees Kelly Jones from the Stereophonics team up with Patty Lynn and Dwight Baker of The Wind and The Wave to present an album that successfully freewheels through genres from country to folk with an additional touch of Americana. The project was born from a shared love of music, and that love is evident in their genre-spanning debut effort.
The trio began the journey to their first record together back in 2019 when they performed a cover of Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty’s “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around” on Kelly Jones’ tour of the UK, during which Lynn and Baker were the openers for each night. The three would soon find themselves performing and writing together between shows. At the end of each leg of the tour, they booked recording sessions and completed the album in just nine days; however, due to the pandemic, it has taken four years to release.
The country influences are immediately evident in the opener, “Screaming Hallelujah,” with finger-picked acoustic guitar offering a warm welcome to the album. The opening track introduces the haunting harmonies Jones and Lynn provide on the record, with the pair both stating, “I’m here while you search for your soul”. Delicate acoustic guitar again dominates “Faded Black Tattoo” before a darker mood is set out on “Take It Through The Night”, which sees Lynn given a more prominent role on vocals. Inspirational lyrics are a theme throughout the album, with Lynn defiantly encouraging, “Don’t give up without a fight”, on the song, which seems destined to be a favourite for live performances.
Jones and Lynn examine the struggles touring musicians have with maintaining relationships in “Let’s Turn This Back Around”, questioning, “If it’s love, why are we exploding all the time?” before the song takes an inspired turn to see the pair powerfully agree, “Let’s turn this back around”.
The reflective “Gonna Find What’s Killing Me” proves uplifting, with Jones and Lynn again declaring, “I’m still alive”. One of the more up-tempo rock numbers on the album is “The Ride”, which again seeks to uplift, with lines such as, “You’ve got another thing coming if you think you’re running out of time.” The song is also noteworthy for its country-inspired guitar soloing.
The penultimate song, “Let The Light Shine Over You”, once again inspires, with the trio offering the advice, “Pick up the things you love and put down the things you don’t”. Relaxing closer, “Own It” sees Jones’ vocals shine throughout, with reassuring lyrics such as, “Now I’m healing, and feeling okay”, as the album finishes with the positivity it began with.
Far From Saints’ debut offering proves uplifting and inspiring, showcasing stunning musicianship and excellent production. Although fans of Stereophonics may have been expecting Jones to offer more of a rock-driven sound, the genre-spanning record proves enthralling. Clearly, at ease with each other, it remains to be seen where the three artists go next, but their first offering certainly feels like it could be a springboard to bigger things.
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