Album Review: Stephen David Austin – A Bakersfield Dozen

There are, at this moment in time, 10 million bands making music in North America. Wait, there are 10 million Americana/roots/country bands making music in North America. Most of them use the same instrumentation. Most share the same influences. Most make, roughly, the exact same music. It easy to see how this happens as there are only so many instruments most folks can play, only so many classic bands successful enough to be influential, and only so many song patterns to follow.If this is true, HOW ON EARTH could a new artist do anything unique, special, or vaguely interesting?It’s simple. Just say something interesting.Tell us a story. Write an interesting lyric. Be insightful, wry, and touching. Those words are yours and being unique and special is completely in the grasp of the artist willing to put up the effort. Of course, some people just can’t do it. Some don’t want to do it. and some don’t like it when it’s done.All this brings me to Stephen David Austin.

 

He works on Bakersfield side of country music – telecasters, high harmonies, and strong back-beats. It’s a great tradition and a solid music to create and celebrate. On his new record, A Bakersfield Dozen Austin does just that. These are great driving songs and great dancing songs. Great songs while you’re getting dressed and ready for a night on the town. But, frankly, if that is where Stephen David Austin stopped I wouldn’t be writing this review.

He’s a wit and a writer of prose, reminiscent of Robert Earl Keen. Most are autobiographical and more than a few involve bad, bad men. In The Cage Austin picks up a hitchhiker who just finished serving his sentence for beating a man to death. Heroes and Heroin take a look at the lives of Gram Parsons, Jerry Garcia, and Charlie Parker.

I think the song that best sums up Austin is, The Best Ex I Ever Had – a high-energy shuffle about a woman who is only happy when he’s sad. It’s funny, it’s fun, and I like it that way. There has been some use of the word “poet” in conjunction with Stephen David Austin, and I’m not sure that’s fair. Those who want REAL poetry may feel let down and those who hate poetry will be missing out. If it’s poetry, it’s Hank Williams poetry. It’s pain-spoken rural poetry, which I think is a harder stunt to perform and more fun to listen to.

Musically, Austin has a low and round warble that works great with the stories he shares. His band is top notch, full of guys from I See Hawks in LA and Dwight Yoakam’s band. A Bakersfield Dozen is a collection of great music and better stories.

http://www.stephendavidaustin.com