Strong collection of road songs on first for new label.
Leon Majcen is the son of Bosnian refugees who grew up in Safety Harbour, Florida, before relocating to Nashville in 2023. He has four independently released albums in his catalogue. The Leaving Kind represents his first release for Nashville label Cloverdale. The album was produced by Pat Lyons, who also contributed mandolin, lead guitar, pedal steel, banjo, and dobro. Other supporting musicians included Lee Williams (bass, vocals), John Venezia (drums), Chris Hurst (piano, organ) and Annabel Dwyer (vocals).
Majcen’s background provides a bedrock of perspective and determination to his work. As he puts it: “Growing up as an immigrant, my whole life, I’ve watched my parents work jobs they hated,” says Majcen. “I think it’s why they always pushed me to chase my dreams. Getting to a position where I can help my family out has always been a big motivator.” It’s also visible in his touring commitments and the fifty thousand miles plus he spends on the road each year.
Majcen’s sound covers a wide range of styles over the album’s ten tracks and 33 minutes. The record opens with Slowing Me Down dropping in languidly with guitars and pedal steel as Majcen sings of the twin pulls of the partner left at home and playing his music on the road. There’s a world-weary feel to the vocal. Falling Short starts at a jauntier pace with some barroom piano and an uncredited fiddle performance, but is a further riff on being on the road. Road Dog Express features acoustic guitar and vocal as Majcen lays out a more philosophical and bluesy take on the travelling life. The song features some sweet dobro and a mournful harmonica. A big funky beat and horns lead into Turn Me In, in which the song’s narrator is a more dissolute character with several dodgy connections. He sings of his lover: “she turns me on/I just hope she don’t turn me in”. Fifth track and likely side 1 closer is Don’t You Cry, where Majcen’s voice has a rough edge, singing softly. A pedal steel bedded verse drops into a descending chorus. A fiddle adds pathos as Majcen returns to the theme of the road and relationships, and the contrasting emotions due to each.
Float On Down opens side 2 and communicates a hot, sultry day when Majcen and friend are heading out fishing. With a low-key organ underlying the guitars, he takes on a slow trip to the fishing hole. As the song draws to a close, his thoughts turn to being old and looking back. The next song is Honey Bee, another up-tempo tune with a blues feel and some tasty acoustic slide guitar; Majcen almost talks his vocals. The piano and guitar play off one another in the break. Keep You Off My Mind packs an awful lot of lyric into a song that comes in under three minutes. It starts with Majcen leaving the road for the love of his life. As close to a country song as there is on The Leaving Kind. It’s another song enhanced by the fiddle. The ninth song on the album is Long Way Home, which opens with a wistful vocal and lonesome fiddle. The narrator is a cowboy who travels from town to town; Colorado, Texas and Alberta are referenced, but finds himself thinking of home. The closer and title track rolls in on a full backing of rhythm section, guitars and pedal steel. Lyrically, it returns to the theme of being on the road and never staying in the same place for very long. He’s troubled by doubts this is the right life for him. Majcen’s vocal ups a register into the chorus: “I was born the leaving kind/ Don’t take kindly to a world I like /And I’ll go down swinging till my head falls off.”
Majcen has, by all accounts, been getting some positive press in the US and recently completed a short UK tour. The Leaving Kind is a positive start to the next part of that journey.
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