The previous year's "Songs from Sopchoppy" may have marked his official comeback, but Home Grown marks his return to the folksiness and good humor that sustained his greatest hits of the 60s and 70s.
The latest cast of characters includes a widowed highway samaritan turning a twist on "Phantom 309," a lovable neighborhood eccentric with a secret, and his own autobiographical wanderer. Each is treated tenderly by Hall's immense gift for storytelling, creating warm, vivid tales of common folk's uncommon stories. As he puts it: "We're all basically the same with just a few minor differences. But it's those little differences that enable one man to become president and another a bum. Those differences are what I write about."
In his first turn as a producer, Hall keeps mostly to acoustic instruments, playing up the downhome flavor with a mix of country, bluegrass, and hints of gospel and blues. A fun and touching album.
