Opinionated Americana rocks the EU

James McMurtry’s never been shy with his opinions on politics and society, and playing his songs for a European audience one has to wonder whether his metaphors translate to a more universal sentiment or simply provide a peephole into an American’s view of his own country. This 8-song live CD features five titles from 2008’s Just Us Kids on which McMurtry cataloged political diseases and social isolation. Two of that album’s most scathing pieces, “God Bless America” and “Cheney’s Toy” are left out here, which is a shame considering the CD fills only half its space at 42 minutes. The accompanying DVD, taped in Amsterdam,  duplicates two titles from the CD, but adds four more including the early “Too Long in the Wasteland” and a cover of Jon Dee Graham’s “Laredo,” on which Graham himself guests. A lengthy live version of “Choctaw Bingo” gives both McMurtry and legendary keyboard player Ian McLagan a chance to show their instrumental wares. The sound is sharp, and though the songs are played largely as recorded on their studio albums, the band adds a punchy rock dynamic. The rhythm section is potent, the guitar twangy, and McLagan’s organ and piano are especially satisfying. McMurtry sings in a limited range, but this gives his live vocals an effective element of speech making. Delivered in a tight-fitting two-panel cardboard slipcase this is more a memento of the tour than a new chapter in McMurtry’s career (as was his previous live album, Aught-Three), but it’s a solid representation of the current state of his art. [©2009 hyperbolium dot com]

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