James McMurtrey

Last night, James McMurtrey was in town. I hadn't seen him since the 90's and whenever I hear his stuff on the radio, I take notice. With a flat, deadpan delivery reminiscent of Lou Reed, McMurtrey grabs your attention with his highly literate, powerfully descriptive lyrics. Who else does that?

Sure, there are plenty of great lyricists, starting with Bob Dylan, of course. My short list would include John Hiatt, Paul Simon, Jackson Browne on a good day and for me, the newest member of this elite club is John Mayer who seems to have it all. But none of them can touch McMurtrey's unique take on life in America today.

James McMurtrey is the consummate American storyteller, a modern day Mark Twain. Part poetry, part satire, all heart. If he wrote regular weekly columns, I would read every word. But he doesn't, and perhaps that's good because it forces him to distill 100% of his creative genius into the lyrics of comparatively few songs.

When I saw McMurtrey in the 90's, he was just getting started. He played serviceable guitar, plenty adequate to support his tunes. Last night, he was a guitar powerhouse. At times, he sounded like Neil Young AND Crazyhorse. Accompanied by a bassist and a drummer, the threesome generated a quality of rock you seldom find with so few players. This was the Austin sound at its finest.

Makes me want to spend a lot more time there. Every Wednesday night, when he's not on tour, McMurtrey plays The Continental Club in Austin. Seeing him at The Continental would be enough to justify the trip. If James comes to your hometown or someplace nearby, do not miss the chance to see him. And if you aren't familiar with his stuff, check him out.