Review / 200 Words Or Less
Ryan Mallot & Kelly Thomas
Self Titled

Deep Elm (2009) Jon E.

Ryan Mallot & Kelly Thomas – Self Titled cover artwork
Ryan Mallot & Kelly Thomas – Self Titled — Deep Elm, 2009

Deep Elm has, over the past few years, been relying more on their internet presence rather than being a label that releases records in a physical manner. While this is not a bad thing it is kinda sad. This new dynamic means that less people will be hearing this EP. Ryan Mallot is best known as the frontman of alt country band 500 Miles To Memphis and Kelly Thomas is a singer in her own rights but much less known. What happens when these two come together is alt country magic. Sounding like a modern alternative version of Johnny and June they carry these 5 songs with a certain heft and emotional resonance while still managing to have a sense of humor from time to time.

As stated earlier due to Deep Elm's new business practice this has very little packaging and comes as a burnt cd with a printed on cover. In a way this makes it a bit more personal it also leaves something to be desired by the listener. There are scant few complaints regarding the music. First off there are only a handful of times that they take advantage of having two singer for the course of a song most verses are lead by one while the other shows up solely for the chorus. Normally it wouldn't matter but when they do sing together it fits incredibly well. The last complaint is there are too few songs. Each song has a certain amount of class and sense of country music history. This is an EP that should be recognized as well above average and given notice for it's strong song writing and musical sensibility.

8.3 / 10Jon E. • September 13, 2010

Ryan Mallot & Kelly Thomas – Self Titled cover artwork
Ryan Mallot & Kelly Thomas – Self Titled — Deep Elm, 2009

Recently-posted album reviews

Painkiller

The Great God Pan
Tzadik (2025)

Painkiller, the trio of John Zorn, Bill Laswell, and Mick Harris shows no signs of slowing down. The Great God Pan is their third full-length, since their reunion in 2024, and in many ways it is an unexpected offering. In keeping with their interests in the metaphysical realm, Painkiller find inspiration from the famed Arthur Machen horror novella. Here, the … Read more

Painkiller

The Equinox
Tzadik (2025)

Painkiller sees three absolute masters of extreme music join forces. John Zorn of Naked City and a billion other projects, Mick Harris who transcended from Napalm Death drummer to illbient guru with Scorn, and producer extraordinaire Bill Laswell. Their first two records, Guts of a Virgin and Buried Secrets are strange meditations traversing between free-jazz, grindcore and dub. Still hungry … Read more

Dauber

Falling Down
Recess (2025)

The lazy approach would be to call Dauber "ex-Screaming Females," but that barely scratches the surface. If I had to pick one band to namedrop a comparison to, it would be labelmates Night Court. They play a familiar style but with a lot of quirks that set it apart from the genre standard-bearers. It's driving and energetic -- more importantly, … Read more