James Kahn- Matamoros (click on image to watch video)

 6 February 2020

James Kahn has lived a hell of a creative life. Though his training was in medicine, he’s best known for his work in the world of fiction, starting with the novelization of Return Of The Jedi – not an easy feat. He did the same for Poltergeist, Goonies and an Indian Jones movie before transitioning to writing for TV shows like Star Trek: The Next Generation, Xena: Warrior Princess and curiously Melrose Place (quite possibly the polar opposite of writing for Star Trek and Xena).  

Moving into the more personal fare, he also wrote a handful of original novels, his most recent, a story set during the Civil War titled Matamoros. With two albums already under his name, the idea to write a third album, a concept record based on his new novel, didn’t seem too odd. The result is a pretty solid effort drawing on classic folk and Americana. 

The story of the novel and album focuses on Matamoros, Mexico, during the Civil War, an area where the Confederacy was able to smuggle in supplies from the south to get past the Union blockade of ports. Admittedly, the album takes a listen or two before it really starts to click, but with a little patience, the record’s charm becomes clear. 

From the Irish folk songs (aptly enough in a song about an Irish immigrant) and waltzes to a sea shanty (“Solomon’s Shanty”), the album’s eclectic musical collection is part of the appeal. Kahn’s vocals are steady and the instrumentation simply superb. The character stories that are covered here are as equally disparate as the musical influences.             

John B. Moore has been covering the seemingly disparate, but surprisingly complimentary genres of Americana and punk rock for the past 20 years.

Blurt/New Noise Magazine/InSite Atlanta/NeuFutur Magazine

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