Austin Sound

It’s a somewhat perplexing and sad reality that a lot of our nation’s best songwriters and folk artists find their greatest appreciation not at home in the US, but in Europe. On the one hand, it’s great that they can tour over there and find such fervent fan bases, but it’s a shame that they usually can’t generate that kind of support here. James McMurtry, like any number of other contemporary artists, is a case in point. While he does well in Austin, and you can catch him almost any Wednesday at the Continental Club, the fact that his live cd was recorded in Europe is rather par for the course with many great Austin songwriters. With McMurtry, however, it is a bit different. For one thing, this album documents what is, surprisingly, his first European tour. Secondly, while the songs are generally familiar set pieces for McMurtry’s local fans, the band he has backing him for the tour includes Ian McLagan on keys, which is worth hearing in and of itself.

The album, which also comes packaged with a DVD of six more songs recorded in Amsterdam, is split between shows in Germany and the Netherlands, the majority coming from the latter. There aren’t many surprises here, but McMurtry is solid as always, and his low drawl and typical Americana disillusion makes him an interesting ambassador. “Bayou Tortue” opens with a swampy, electrified drive that kicks the album off well (also notable for the phlegmatic German announcer that introduces the band), but the major problem with album is that it is much too short (just over 40 minutes) and draws it’s setlist almost entirely from last year’s Just Us Kids. The title track, “Hurricane Party,” “You’d A’ Thought (Leonard Cohen Must Die),” “Ruby and Carlos” and “Freeway View” help account for the six of the eight songs on the live recording that are all from last year.

The only two exceptions on the audio album are “Restless” and “Fraulein O.,” the latter of which actually makes on appearance on McMurtry’s only other live recording, 2004 release Live in Aught-Three. If anything makes the album stand out, it’s McLagan, though he is still greatly under-utilized. His keys on “Just Us Kids” add considerably to the Dire Straits feel of the song, and he is finally able to completely cut loose with the barrelhouse boogie of “Freeway View.”

The DVD provides a nice bonus, but again clocks in just around 40 minutes. Live favorite “Choctaw Bingo” and “Too Long in the Wasteland” make the video appearance, and “Laredo” provides the highlight as Jon Dee Graham joins McMurtry and the band on guitar. Still, two songs from the audio album get retreaded on DVD, and it all strikes as a bit superfluous, no doubt in large part because we are able to take advantage of McMurtry so often here in Austin. If for some reason you can’t spare a Wednesday at the Continental Club, then perhaps there will be some value in the live album for you. Otherwise, get yourself downtown for the real deal.

Websites:
www.jamesmcmurtry.com
Myspace