Upland Stories, the thirteenth album by alt-country singer-songwriter Robbie Fulks, is an honest and contemplative chronicle of his formative years in North Carolina and Virginia.
If you’re seeking a catchy, kitschy country record, you’re not going to find it here, but the beauty of this work by Fulks lies in the tracks’ ebb and flow without being constrained by structure or tightened melody. Fulks’ expressive voice is built for storytelling and, at points, is reminiscent of early Gordon Lightfoot – evidenced especially by the pretty opening track “Alabama at Night” with its gentle acoustic undulation. Fulks turns up the volume to a holler on the rallying “America Is A Hard Religion”, and plants his tongue firmly in his cheek for the playful romp bluegrass romp “Katy Kay”. From start to finish, Upland Stories is rich in imagery and cements Fulks’ reputation as a hallmark of the genre.
Born in York, Pennsylvania, Fulks learned to play the guitar and banjo before he was a teenager. His professional career began in the early 1980s when he moved to Chicago and became a working musician and music instructor. In the early-to-mid 1990s, Fulks worked as a songwriter for API on Nashville’s Music Row. He signed with Bloodshot Records in 1996 and released his critically acclaimed debut album Country Love Songs.
Fulks will play in support of Upland Stories – and selections from his storied catalog from the past two decades – at Natalie’s Coalfired Pizza in Worthington on Sunday, May 1. Tickets are $15, available here.
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