You’ve undoubtedly heard the axiom, “if I didn’t laugh, I’d have to cry.” For rural Virginia native Colby T. Helms that seems to be one of the basic tenets on his debut full-length album, One For the Losers. Growing up in the heart of Appalachia he’s seen firsthand the combination of poverty, addiction, and despair that has come to characterize the outside world’s idea of life there. He’s here to tell you, though, it’s not all that way. The record is full of stories about the people he knows, set to a mix of musical styles born in the Blue Ridge Mountains and updated with some modern flourishes.
After a happy fiddle and yodel intro, Greetings, Helms launches into Welcome To the Freak Show. A bluesy, angst-filled ode to being an outsider even in your own community, it immediately establishes his earnest and raw vocal style. Then, perhaps ironically, it’s followed by Voice Is Shot. The song is one of the more realistic descriptions of being a traveling musicians, from the battle to maintain one’s vocal cords to meeting “some crooks who double booked.” The bluegrass style lends a lighter note, but listen closely and you’ll hear the universal struggles of making a living on the road. Also utilizing a bluegrass style, albeit a waltz, is Deadhead On the Weekend. It’s a fun tale of the guy that everyone loves or wants to be, even the constantly lecturing preacher. Taking things closer to our southern border is Armed And Dangerous, a story of going from care-free smuggler to prisoner in a hard-labor joint.
Some of the most identifiable songs are various stories of unrequited love. Fool’s Gold is a country ballad where the protagonist notes that the other guy’s “picture fits perfect in her family’s picture frame, ” whereas his would “stick out like a sore thumb.” Clouds strips things back to just Helms and his guitar wishing that “these blues please go away.” The title track is another waltz, again featuring Helm’s mastery of vocal angst. It’s a little broader look at life, where choices are far from easy and sometimes kindness isn’t rewarded. At the end of the day, though, “we’re all waiting on the same sunrise.” Fireside Love reminds us of the rewards when things do go well, from the passion of youth to the appreciation for life’s small joys.
Colby T. Helms wants you to know the stereotypes about life in Appalachia are nowhere near as universal as some would have you believe. Many people are optimists and have a tightly-held belief that things will get better. That doesn’t mean they don’t have their share of trials and tribulations. They manage to cope in less self-destructive ways and somewhere in the retelling a little humor surfaces. Those are the stories on One For the Losers, and they make for a genuinely heartwarming look at life, with a little picking on the side.
About the author: I've actually driven from Tehatchapee to Tonopah. And I've seen Dallas from a DC-9 at night.