A veteran of a decade and a half with assorted bands, Tommy Womack is now on his second solo disc, following up his 1998 release Positively Na Na. (He also penned the 1995 memoir Cheese Chronicles, detailing his efforts and adventures with his old band Government Cheese.) Aptly titled, Stubborn confidently includes every strain of music that’s poked Womack’s muse. He manages to evoke Soul Coughing in the opening “Rubbermaid” and their veritable polar opposite, the Replacements, with “Tellin’ You What You Want To Hear” — though neither track is indicative of the record as a whole. The sole cover is Ray Davies’ “Berkeley Mews”, which roars with an irresistible confidence that makes it seem remarkable this shiny nugget from Kink Kronikles wasn’t revived by someone long ago.
Womack’s own “She Likes To Talk” and “They All Come Back For More” both wed evocative and rocking musical architecture to prime storytelling, showing that he learned more than just cover material from Davies. His songs draw from folk and country filtered through a rockers’s heart.
Womack’s singing and guitar playing are the equal of his writing, all of which serve to unify the work as a true album. The assembled musicians have both the taste and skill to allow their playing to spring forth from the core of the song. Wonderfully and successfully varied, Stubborn is a musically well-balanced diet.
