Aural Fixations

RODNEY CROWELL
The Outsider
(Columbia)
It wouldn't be a stretch to say Rodney Crowell is turning in some of his best work these days, nearly 30 years after his career began. But before we waste a single word on The Outsider, let's take a minute to reflect on Crowell's songwriting pedigree. (more)

MICHAEL DEAN DAMRON
A Perfect Day For a Funeral
(In Music We Trust)
Better known as Mike D, Michael Dean Damron is the leader of Portland's angry roots rock politicos I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch in the House. SOB tends toward the loud, violent side of Americana, and while the band can veer into quieter fare on occasion, it's not a truly appropriate outlet for more meditative material. Thus Damron presents A Perfect Day for a Funeral, his first solo album, and one that moves the focus away from SOB's double-headed beast of tune and performance and puts it squarely on the song itself. (more)

THE MAKERS
Everybody Rise!
(Kill Rock Stars)
To a lot of rock & roll fans, the ability to play a simplified, dirty style of guitar-based rock that prides itself on its energy, aggression and basic song structures, AKA "garage rock," equals authenticity. If you can slam out power chords (using only your high volume for distortion), scream like you're pissed at every person you've ever met and make 4/4 time jump like a barefoot toddler on a hot sidewalk, you're enshrined in the underground pantheon. Unfortunately, being good at garage rock can also become a trap; it's a limited form for any ambitious musician, yet the fans cry "treason" at any overt attempt to alter the formula. (more)

OTIS TAYLOR
Below the Fold
(Telarc)
For the past few years, Otis Taylor has specialized in updating and refurbishing the country blues. While purists might argue that the blues doesn't need any facelifts, that doesn't mean that a visionary artist like Taylor shouldn't be celebrated. (more)