Mike Stinson – Last Fool At The Bar

As the unlikely leader of the thriving Los Angeles country-rock movement, Mike Stinson has garnered comparisons to the likes of Willie, Gram, and Mr. Zimmerman, and he shares their ability to make depression and despair sound almost fun. Recorded in Stinson’s living room with some of the best players friendship can buy, Last Fool At The Bar relies on his absolute genuineness and a knack for creating melodies that fit the lyrics like you’d imagine his hand fits around a beer bottle.

As Stinson’s squeaky wail rises over a supporting cast that includes guitarist Tony Gilkyson, bassist Jimmy Ashhurst and drummer Don Heffington, the motives behind the music never seem in doubt. While his voice likely will never grace the airwaves of top-40 radio, it’s just too damn friendly and, well, believable, to dislike.

From the first stanza of the opening (and title) track, Stinson makes it clear that life may be dragging him down, but he’s going down singing: “The idle chatter has faded, and the lights are as dim as my future since you went away.” The song paints a clear, bleak picture of the place where all of the numbers wanted to be written: the empty bar.

Despite his adherence to typical country style, Stinson managers to keep things sounding fresh. While most of the tunes are comfortably midtempo, “Take Out The Trash” provides a nice upbeat break without burning down the barn. Gilkyson shows an impressive vocal touch when he shares the singing on the plaintive “Home In Angeleno”.

In a town famous for a lack of anything real, it’s difficult to imagine a more heartfelt statement coming from a songwriter.