Artist:     James Lee Stanley Without Susie

Album:     Without Susie

Label:     Independent

Release Date:     11.1.2019

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Without Susie comes without any baggage. In some ways it has a near-’70s vibe, with some slick acoustic guitar licks and picking offering more than a passing echo of the likes of pickers and singer-songwriters Jim Croce, John Prine, James Taylor and a raft of others who worked the music back then. At the same time, it has a freshness and vitality that is very much of today, with James Lee Stanley’s vocal delivery always on point and his picking solid throughout.

If raw and raucous is what you crave, then this album may not be for you, but if you prefer a nuanced, understated musical wave, then this might well be just what you need. Stanley works solidly here, with an assured touch that hints at years of experience and a command of the music and traditions of the US singer-songwriter. That he is likely to be a new to many is just one of those little ironies, for he is a musician and lyricist with both talent and flair in spades, as Without Susie amply shows, and he’s been doing it for years.

Unexpectedly sidelined with health issues, Stanley’s tour behind this album has been abridged, but listen to the CD now and see him later. This is a delightful release that is worthy of attention and should appeal to all of us who hanker for that time when melodies, harmony and light, deft lyricism ruled the musical roost, because it does, again, on Without Susie.

—Iain Patience