Review: Cody Dickinson – Homemade
Cody Dickinson – Homemade
Format: CD – Vinyl LP – Digital / Label: Strong Place Music
Release: 2024
Text: Tom Wouters
We know Cody Dickinson as a member of The North Mississippi All Stars, the band he has led with his brother Luther for more than 20 years and in which he is responsible for drums, keyboards and vocals. After the band’s 2022 album ‘Set Sail’ and touring for years, Cody wanted to spend more time with his family. At home he was able to combine the useful with the pleasant and realize a long-cherished dream of recording a solo album.
‘Homemade’ is the appropriate title of Cody’s first solo album, recorded all by himself in his home studio, playing all instruments himself. ‘Homemade’ is an album in the musical tradition of his father (producer Jim Dickinson) and The North Mississippi All Stars, which encompasses just about all elements of American roots music. Southern Soul, boogie woogie, country blues, rhythm & blues and gospel, it’s all featured on Homemade. The sound is mainly vintage, entirely in line with what he does with his brother in their band.
There is vintage rock & roll (Walk Right In), Ray Charles-like rhythm & blues (Black Out Curtains) and modern-day gospel (Can’t Feel At Home, featuring singer Tikyra Jackson). And family man Cody Dickinson lives up to his name by not only involving his one-year-old daughter Mavis in the art work of the album, but Mavis also provides Goodbye Albuquerque Tuesday Night with cheerful giggling.
Homemade is a solo album in the true sense of the word, in which Cody Dickinson gives space to all his (vintage) musical influences. An album that doing it all by yourself, almost inevitably feels somewhat overproduced.
Tracks:
01. Homemade Blues
02. Big City
03. Walk Right In*
04. Goodbye Albuquerque Tuesday Night
05. Blackout Curtains
06. Easy
07. As Fast As It Comes
08. Homewrecker
09. Worldwide
10. Can’t Feel at Home*
*featuring Tikyra Jackson of Southern Avenue
Website: https://codydickinson.com/