The Wisdom of Lonnie Holley, by Kurt Gottschalk

Singer and seer Lonnie Holley has a remarkable way of playing off of others while never seeming to quite change his act. The Alabama native first gained attention as a sculptor and visual artist working with found materials in what might be labeled “folk” or “outsider” idioms. He found his way into music and performance, first accompanying himself on a Casio keyboard and eventually working with other accompanists. Through it all, Holley has spoken a kind of unschooled wisdom that resonates so deeply it can be hard to face straight on.

Broken Mirror, A Selfie Reflection (CD, LP and download out April 9 on Spacebomb Records) has the biggest number of musicians to back Holley on record—eight of them in all, as opposed to his usual one or two, heavy on keyboards and effects and led by singer/songwriter Matthew E. White—making Holley’s biggest sounding record to date. He didn’t exactly work with the backing band, however. White made the backing tapes back in 2018, during a series of guided improvisations intended to shake up his own music. The recordings sat on a shelf until he played a gig with Holley in his Richmond hometown and the tapes found their destiny. The five tracks on the album (running from four to 10 minutes in length) are Holley’s first takes, improvising from his notebook, over the prerecorded tracks.

Holley fits White and company’s music like a hand in a glove. He clearly draws energy and inspiration from his collaborators, whether live or on tape. The lyrics, as always, are pleas for simplicity, for not relying too much on technology, for self-betterment and preserving the natural world, but Holley intuitively molds his texts to the ambling grooves of the band. The philosophies and truths are delivered in his same, slow drawl, floating above the music somewhere between a song and a prayer, but the music dictates the direction. As with his visual art, a lack of training doesn’t belie a deep, expressive sensibility.

Holley’s work might not be for everyone. It can feel directionless, even without melody. There’s repeated phrases but no real verse/chorus structure. It’s a shame that such things might keep people away, because while it might not be for everyone, everyone should hear it.