Kristen Grainger & True North Go Deep on Ghost Tattoo

Kristen Grainger & True North
“Ghost Tattoo”
(self-released)
2020

Based in Salem, Oregon, Kristen Grainger and True North released their 2020 album “Ghost Tattoo” as the world was shutting down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Plans for an extensive international tour starting in Ireland had to be scrapped, and promoting the project became nearly impossible. Nevertheless, the album, a blend of folk and Americana with a touch of bluegrass, is one of their best efforts.

The album is a delicate balance between an unflinching look at who we are today in these polarizing times and a sense of optimism for who we might become. “Ghost of Abuelito” pulls at the heart as it confronts the crisis of children being separated from parents at the Mexico border and being held in detention centers. Grainger’s lyrics pierce the heart, as a child finds comfort in the spirit of his grandfather, giving him the courage to believe he will return to his parents.

The title “She Flies with Her Own Wings” is derived from Oregon's state motto and is an inspired tribute to former Governor Kate Brown, for whom Grainger worked as communications director. It is also a nod to all women in leadership positions. In "Light by Light," a survivor describes the hard truths of domestic violence.

Kristen Grainger speaks eloquently as an advocate for female empowerment and social justice. She understands her folk music heritage and is a voice for the unheard, much like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger. This may offend some, but since they are likely part of the problem rather than the solution, I doubt she loses any sleep over it.

Two covers, Tim O'Brien's and Darrell Scott’s whimsical “When No One's Around” and Peter Rowan’s “Lonesome L.A. Cowboy,” lighten the mood, balancing some of the weightier subjects examined here. While lost love and the wish for what might have been are the focus of “Wishes and Dreams.” “Keep the River on Your Right” is an upbeat song reminiscent of Alison Krauss and Union Station. “Fine Young Companion” imparts wisdom from the older generation to the young about the importance of embracing a simple life.

These songs are beautifully delivered by the band’s namesake on lead vocals, alongside the True North band, which includes Dan Wetzel, Grainger’s husband, on guitar, resonator guitar, mandolin, octave mandolin, banjo, mandola, ukulele, and vocals; Martin Stevens on mandolin, fiddle, octave mandolin, and vocals; and Josh Adkins on upright bass and vocals. Guest artists Dale Adkins on banjo and Cameron Elmore on bowed bass also contribute to this impressive lineup.