The self proclaimed Queen of Oklahoma, Carter Sampson, more than lives up to the title on her latest album Gold. Five years on from the acclaimed Lucky (via an enforced Covid break) Gold was recorded by Sampson and her producer Kyle Reid at Sampson’s home with her saying of the process, “I’ve never been so comfortable in a recording situation. After all, I was in my own home and, heck, I didn’t even have to put real pants on.” Pants or not, the pair have delivered a solid 24 carat nugget which might just be the best red dirt country album you’ll hear this year.
The opening title track finds Sampson singing of her mother over a gutsy pedal steel romp with equally gutsy lyrics, paying tribute to the qualities she inherited from her mom. Sampson notes that the song was written “after breaking down and having a good cry to my mom” and then attempting to reassure mom that she was actually quite resilient. That certainly comes through in the song’s strong delivery. There’s more of Sampson’s inner thoughts on display on Can’t Stop Me Now, written as a springboard to launch her back into touring and playing live after being cooped up for so long. As she says, “I’m ready to put the Covid break into the rear mirror and get back to doing what I love.”
Catch her live and you’ll likely hear songs of the calibre of Drunk Text, a marvellous beer stained bar room ballad with weeping pedal steel or the dramatic maelstrom which is Black Blizzard, written about the infamous dirt storms which blitzed Oklahoma in the 1930s. It’s unlikely that Sampson would be able to replicate live the full blown keyboard and synth backing which adds to the song’s drama on the record but, having seen her live, we’re sure she could whip it up to a fine frenzy with just her and her guitar. Similarly, the sinewy southern blues of Fingers To The Bone, here adorned with Dobro and soulful organ wouldn’t be a challenge to a singer who can rivet attention on a solo delivery of Rattlesnake Kate (from Lucky).
With further delights to be heard such as the Daniel Lanois like lambent delivery of Home and the cornpoke country delivery of Yippie Yi Yo, a song which finds Sampson in cowgirl feminist territory with a Randy Newman like sense of satire, Gold finds Sampson on top form and truly worthy of that Oklahoma crown.