With the majority of compositions here written by the team of drummer John Hahn and guitarist/producer Will Kimbrough who supply 7 of the twelve tracks there’s a lovely thread of storytelling running through this record that serves Copeland’s wonderfully powerful voice so very well. Indeed if your love your Americana and like a solid guitar and a seam of Blues running through it you’ll be in heaven here.
Packed with an impressive guest list the album also features a wonderful slow cover of The Stone’s ‘Under My Thumb’ which is lyrically twisted to great effect! ‘Uncivil War’ really carries on the themes of her previous outing ‘America’s Child’ and with cameos like Jason Isbell on the wonderful Countrified ‘Clotilda’s on Fire’ (The Clotilda was America’s last save ship) there are tasty treats and potent themes everywhere you turn.
The best here might just be where Copeland gives way to abandon the guard rail on the high energy Americana-Country-Rocker ‘Apple Pie and a .45’ or the wild rocker ‘Money Makes You Ugly’ that features a ringing lead by Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram. When you pair that with the Gospel of ‘Walk Until I Ride’ you can’t go wrong with this one. It’s a beautifully diverse and wonderful shape-shifter of a record that really defies categories and labels.