Seven years after Christopher Denny’s debut solo album, Age Old Hunger, Denny returns with Roses Don’t Kill Us – a polished set of narrative country songs about hard living, pain, and redemption. The long interceding years between albums for Denny were filled with a failed marriage, loss, pain addiction and hitting bottom. Wielding a high-tenor voice reminiscent of Roy Orbison and Jeff Buckley’s higher octaves, and approaching songwriting from a childhood steeped in Lefty Frizzell records, Denny is welcome anomaly in modern times. A few album highlights include: the whimsical opener “Happy Sad”, the gospel-tinged “Million Little Thoughts”, the country-soul of “Love Is a Code Word”, and the bittersweet ballad “Ride On.” With timeless lyrical themes alongside Denny’s distinct vocals and a killer backing band that involves acoustic guitar, banjo, fiddles, a horn section and a rhythm section, If The Roses Don’t Kill Us is a satisfying redemption. – Written by JFelton
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