Album Review – Vincent Neil Emerson’s “Blue Stars”

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Classic Country (#510.1), Western (#512), with some Cajun-Inspired Country (#569) on the Country DDS. AI = ‘clean’

Singer, songwriter, Texan of Native American descent, strong connoisseur of divorced dad cuisine to the level that he now has his own cooking show (see his Frito Pie episode), these are all qualities that Vincent Neil Emerson proudly boasts. But these attributes all waterfall beneath what happens when he lets loose with voice and rhyme in one of the most effortless and disarming deliveries in country music, passing over you like a pleasant breeze on a spring afternoon lounging on a back porch.

Discussions involving Vincent’s new album Blue Stars should commence upon whether it’s to be considered a career effort. After his last couple of albums that were still real good quality, but maybe coasted a bit off the momentum from his debut Fried Chicken and Evil Women (2019), Emerson made sure to really keep the passion up for twelve consistent tracks on this rich, diverse, yet cohesive and complete record.

The first three songs of Blue Stars are all about setting that easy mood that comes so natural to Mr. Emerson. It’s music to help the morose sting of life melt away, which is what Vincent is best at. The next songs “Blue Star” and “Dark Horse” are more autobiographical and storytelling in nature, but are still ideal for setting a favorable mood. You would be just fine if the rest of the record unfolded like this. It’s what you have come to expect from Vincent.

But the second half of Blue Stars comes with a level of heft and character study that give the album an enhanced level of credibility, and ample thoughts to explore, though never in a challenging way. Vincent always likes to wrap his indigenous side into his music. This comes through most notably on the album’s final song “Rising of the Sage” with it’s Native flute really helping to evoke the setting, but also can be heard in the heartbeat and perspective of the song “Rich Man.”


“Angeline” might be named after a woman, but the song is an end-of-life story about an old man that’s not hard to envision in your mind’s eye with the way Vincent brings the character’s story to life. Though it comes in the next-to-last spot on the track list, “Chippin’ At The Stone” is not to be overlooked, and might be the album’s best. Once again, Emerson writes all the songs himself for the album.

In the past, Vincent Neil Emerson has worked with big named producers like Shooter Jennings on The Golden Crystal Kingdom (2023), and fellow Texan Rodney Crowell on his self-titled album (2021). Producer Patrick Lyons who is best known for working with Colter Wall might be considered a less flashy choice compared to these two. He’s not one of those producers who precedes the name of the artist themselves in press releases. But Lyons also proves to be ideal.

Blue Stars really brings the best out of Vincent Neil Emerson and his songs, and in no way feels limited in scope. Though there are definitely some Western tinges to the music, whatever a song calls for, it gets, from the smart use of horns on “Louisiana Wind” that ties it back to Emerson’s “Blue Stars” title track, to the fuzzy guitar on “See My Pony Run,” to the rhythm shift in “Chippin’ At The Stone” that really brings the emotion out in the song.

In the pantheon of musical entertainers, Vincent Neil Emerson is more of a journeyman than a superstar. But that’s also where he fits best, and where you want him to be, exploring everyday and everyman themes, then gracing them with his easy disposition that results in soothing but lively music that makes you appreciate the textures of life that much more.

8.2/10

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Stream Blue Stars // Purchase on Vinyl

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