Search - James Armstrong :: Dark Night

This is an album about survival. It is guitarist Armstrong's first effort following an April 1997 stabbing attack that left him severely injured and unable to play lead. Seven months later, though, he was back at work, and though still not fully recovered, was able to turn out the excellent Dark Night. Two of the songs deal directly with his experience: the title track, and "Lil' James"--written about Armstrong's son, who was also injured in the attack. Several of the other songs on the album deal with survival, mixed in with some of Armstrong's older standards like "Slender Man" and "Witchin' Moon." Joe Louis Walker turns in some guest guitar work, and Kenny Baker adds a few sax solos, notably on "Lil' James." Despite Dark Night's frequently dark subject matter, the overall tone is optimistic, and the quality songwriting and solid slide guitar and rhythm work prove that Armstrong is still a force to be reckoned with. --Genevieve Williams