Old-timer

Clay Parker’s 2011 debut album The Wind And The Warble announced the arrival of a new voice among Louisiana storytellers. Any Old Time, Parker’s latest collection of songs, finds a man who has gotten comfortable in his sound and throwback twang.

Where his previous record showcased mostly unadorned folk melodies, Any Old Time contains fully realized tunes with instrumental depth and texture, courtesy of a studio band with some of the best players Baton Rouge has to offer.

The weathered and road-weary narratives of sparse songs like “Fair and Tender” and “She Needs Me This Way” keep the album firmly anchored in folk traditions, but the album also shows a wealth of warm arrangements and versatility.

“Without You” is a honky-tonk toe-tapper, equal parts classic country and Jim Croce. “Simmesport Blues” takes on a beautiful swamp pop shuffle with just enough accordion and pedal steel to sound like an unearthed jukebox hit from decades past.

Any Old Time is an impressive portrait of an artist who may have only begun to scratch the surface of his abilities. Comparisons to great songwriters like Townes Van Zandt and Guy Clark shouldn’t get thrown around too often, but if Parker continues to develop his craft at such a pace, people may begin to notice the similarities.