Doug Ashdown ‎– Winter In America (Leave Love Enough Alone) VG++/VG

Winter in America (Leave Love Enough Alone), originally released in 1974 and reissued in 1976, is Doug Ashdown’s most enduring work — a melancholic, folk-inflected album steeped in emotional vulnerability and understated craftsmanship. The title track, first issued as “Leave Love Enough Alone,” tells the story of a man left behind in a wintry American landscape, grappling with heartbreak and the quiet ache of acceptance. When rebranded as “Winter in America,” it became a surprise hit, especially in Europe and parts of Australia.

The album blends folk, soft rock, and country textures, with Ashdown’s warm baritone and acoustic guitar at the center. Tracks like “Willie’s Shades” and “Sally Broome” evoke a sense of place and character, while “Skid Row” and “Tomorrow Is the Last Time” lean into themes of loss and longing. The arrangements are rich but never overbearing — featuring cello, mellotron, steel guitar, and even uilleann pipes — giving the record a cinematic, windswept feel.

Though it didn’t make a huge commercial splash at the time, Winter in America has since gained cult status for its emotional honesty and evocative storytelling. It’s a quintessential example of 1970s Australian singer-songwriter introspection — quietly powerful, and deeply human.