Aural Fixations

CHRIS STAMEY
Travels in the South
(Yep Roc)
Chris Stamey is one of those minor geniuses whose contributions get lost in the shuffle. Rock cognoscenti know him as one of the founding members of the legendary 80s North Carolina-to-Hoboken pop band the dB's, while today's young rock fans probably recognize his name from the many production jobs he's taken over the last few years for Alejandro Escovedo, Caitlin Cary, the Mayflies USA and others. But he has a catalog of fine solo records to his considerable credit; gems like 1987's It's Alright and 1991's Fireworks may not have sold a gazillion copies (leading to their long out-of-print status), but they brighten the collections of many a guitar pop fan. But Fireworks was the last pop record Stamey had made until now (not counting a record of instrumental guitar duets); while his absence made pop fans' hearts grow fonder, it didn't help his profile with those outside his core fanbase.

Fortunately, Travels in the South is here to change that. The title isn't just some words that sound good together; many of the tunes found here revolve around the theme of travel, and especially the thoughts that swirl in a pilgrim's head as he goes. The beautiful "Insomnia" contemplates the night sky from the window of a plane, while "In Spanish Harlem" pays tribute to both a foreign tourist's journey through New York and Ben E. King's classic journey in song. "Ride" rocks through history as well as landscape, implying that we should sit back and enjoy the, well, you know. Stamey does find time in his sojourns to express devotion in "And I Love Her" and "There's a Love." He also ponders deeper matters; "Kierkegaard" is an exceptionally melodic ditty that questions the existence of a deity. These songs are remarkable not just for their ambitious wordsmithery, of course. They're also couched in pop hooks and textures that draw from the classic 60s and 70s eras without descending into outright imitation; if you hear Beach Boys harmonies, they're on purpose, even if the tune they accompany has more in common with the Kinks. Surrounding himself with fellow North Carolinians, Stamey is supported by former and current members of the Jayhawks, Ben Folds Five, the Backsliders and Superchunk; he's also joined in harmonies by Ryan Adams, Tift Merritt and Don Dixon. None of these folks distract from the main attraction, though, as the arrangements center on Stamey's dry, boyish voice, skillful guitar work and, naturally, fine songs. Travels in the South is an ambitious, multi-faceted work of art, a high point in a career that's never faltered. Michael Toland [buy it]