Not too many folks fly the flag of California country rock anymore. And when I use that phrase, I don’t mean the solipsistic narcissism of the EAGLES – I mean the more expansive, soulful variety of the FLYING BURRITO BROTHERS, the INTERNATIONAL SUBMARINE BAND or RICHIE FURAY‘s BUFFALO SPRINGFIELD tracks. Gleason takes his inspiration directly from the Bakersfield sound of his West Coast home – this is country rock with a bigger debt to BUCK OWENS and MERLE HAGGARD than CROSBY, STILLS & NASH. The singer/songwriter/guitarslinger has three prior albums in his catalog, all excellent, stripped-down examples of how to do country rock right. Turn and Fade, though, doesn’t shine quite as brightly. It’s hard to say why – too many ballads, uncertain singing, a seemingly wise but ultimately frustrating rollback of his phenomenal guitar skills? There’s something missing here, something that prevents this competent roots rock album from being the gem his previous platters were/are. That’s not to say there aren’t some strong tracks here – “Pale Blue,” “If You’re Going Through Hell” and the instrumental “The San Joaquin” would fit proudly into a Gleason best-of collection. But overall Turn and Fade takes its title a bit too much to heart. Gleason’s vision deserves support, but if you’re a newcomer to the Gleason experience, start with one of the earlier records and work your way toward Turn and Fade.
