22. February 2025
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Media Review

The Cumberland River Project – Vain Regrets

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

The Cumberland River Project - Vain Regrets

The Cumberland River Project - Vain Regrets
4.6

Rating

 4.6/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Six very good country music stories
  • Very different kinds of songs and stories
  • Finally, Frank sings himself!

Frank Renfordt is back – and this time he is wearing his cowboy hat again! The Cumberland River Project releases a new EP. Vain Regrets is going back to the roots of the project from the German Ruhrgebiet and giving us country music tunes. Of course, I had to listen to this 22nd March 2024 release.

 

The Cumberland River Project – About The Artist

I started following The Cumberland River Project since its self-titled debut album in March 2020. Since then, Frank Renfordt worked with different artist – and later also in genres other than country music. Nonetheless, his major releases like the 2022 album A Smell of Gravy have been essential parts of the history of Flyctory.com. The project has a very high reputation for Frank’s excellent songwriting and storytelling. I introduced you to Frank in a Spotilight interview in April 2020.

I also featured Frank and his music in a recent interview, featuring the EP:

Spotlight – Flyctory.com meets Frank Renfordt / The Cumberland River Project (March 2024)

 

The Cumberland River Project – Vain Regrets – Track by Track

The six track EP lasts 20 minutes.

1. In Line

With the moment of birth, we buy a ticket to death – the first words of the opener don’t feel too optimistic. However, the song is a much more happy message than this snippet might suggest. The Cumberland River Project is presenting a traditional country sound with a good vibe. Frank underlines already with the first song that he is one of our finest country songwriters.

2. Old Friend

A strumming guitar, a tootling harmonica – Old Friend is kicking off right in the comfort zone of country music listeners. Overall, the song feels a bit more modern without expanding the borders of the traditions of the genre too. The song is a vow to be faithful to a friend and a praise to long-lasting friendship in general. Nice one.

3. Wish I Could Have Told You

By the way: in contrast to his previous releases, Frank Renfordt is doing the vocals by himself. This leads to a more personal touch of the EP. Songs like the slower WIsh I Could Have Told You profit a lot from that. I absolutely like it. And the tiny little German accent here and there simply adds some additional character to the song.

4. Mr. Spaceman

A country boy in space? That’s at least what the title of the fourth song suggests. The song is very rhythmic and thus has a rather vibe. The story is quite hilarious. Right on a truck ride, something happens. Then a spaceship chased my truck, a light ray beat me up and an alien looked at me with a cold blank stare. The song is, however, having a more social-critic content and background than these words suggest. Great storytelling!

5. House On The Cliffs

After a critical song with a funny touch, the next song is a very slow one. Another song with a beautiful storyline. A bit of a ballad touch, even though the background of the track is again not a light oone.

6. Sweet Freedom

It’s only six songs this time, so that Vain Regrets closes with Sweet Freedom. The song looks back to childhood dreams, teenager love… and all that comes thereafter. Thus, the last song of the EP is somehow the most personal and intimate listen as well.

 

The Cumberland River Project – Vain Regrets – Spotify

Here is Vain Regrets on Spotify:

 

The Cumberland River Project – Vain Regrets – My View

Thank you, Frank! And welcome back to country music, The Cumberland River Project. I feel that having these songs is a really great gift. Frank Renfordt tells six beautiful, very indivdual and lovely stories. And he uses his own language – country music. The fact that he uses his own voice as well turns this EP into something even more special.

Favorite Song: Sweet Freedom

 

The Cumberland River Project

Here are all my postings about the German country music The Cumberland River Project:

 

Spotlight Interviews – German Artists

Here are all my Spotlight interviews I took with German artists:

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