His forlorn vocals just grab you by the lapels and plaintively demand your attention. David Ball is part of a handful of contemporary roots artists who can effortlessly summon up memories of such Americana legends as Jimmie Rodgers (the Singing Brakeman), Hank Williams, George Jones, Webb Pierce, and Ernest Tubb.
On ‘Amigo’, Ball has traded his fancy dudes for a pair of workingman overalls, simultaneously trekking back in time to his 70’s Austin stopover, where he soaked up such diverse genres as Appalachian folk songs, bluegrass, tex-mex hoedowns, old-timey country, and hillbilly jazz. The chosen development vehicle then was Uncle Walt’s Trio, an outfit that still commands reverence today.
‘Amigo’ is reminiscent of Ball’s stunning self-titled 1988 solo debut. Although released to minimal commercial impact, it set off a chain of events that led to 1994’s “Thinkin’ Problem”: a monster hit that’s become a honky tonk hall-of-famer. “Texas Echo” appeared on the 1988 release; and it gets re-done on ‘Amigo’. It retains its inherent majesty: Ball’s high lonesome warbling is peerless, and with steel guitar in full glory (thanks to the brilliant Steve Larios) it does the Lone Star state proud.
Several tracks might have drifted enchantingly across the Rio Grande, including “Amigo”, “She Always Talked About Mexico”, and the instrumental “New Shiner Polka”. Two country classics, Merle Haggard’s “Trying Not To Love You”, and “Just Out Of Reach” (done by Patsy Cline, Jim Reeves, Wynn Stewart, and countless others, including soul titan Solomon Burke) are both lovingly rendered by Ball. There’s a cover of Count Basie’s “Linger Awhile” that’ll swing ‘n’ sway your cares away, while “Swing Baby” provides another excuse for high-stepping.
“Riding With Private Malone” cruises to a theme of military tragedy, alternately touching on fate and re-birth. It’s one of those story-telling songs in the grand tradition (meaning Johnny Cash, Johnny Horton, and Hank Snow) that used to dominate the country charts---before Nashville paved it all over with pop-obsessed filler. It’s also a reminder that all the great songs haven’t already been written.
“Loser Friendly” is indebted lyrically to the computer term “user friendly”. A warm-hearted tale of foul luck, with a little nudge and some re-jigging, any respectable blues artist could cover it, without raising an eyebrow. “Whenever You Come Back To Me” is an absolutely gorgeous ballad that re-unites Ball with long-time writing collaborator Allen Shamblin. “When The Devil Wants To Wrestle” comes as near as any modern recording can to capturing the backwoods spiritualism of the Louvin Brothers.
This whole enterprise is nurtured by fifties-era vintage equipment, including those classic fuse amplifiers, with instrumentation steeped in traditional Texan staples, namely lots of accordion, chromatic harmonica, fiddle, trumpet, steel guitar, piano, and of course, guitar.
There’s a purity and timelessness to David Ball’s music, and he’s managed the seemingly impossible by being a commercially viable country act without ever having compromised his artistic vision. ‘Amigo’ conclusively elevates David Ball to the nobility of esteemed country traditionalists. If that seems like hyperbole, well friend…please listen to ‘Amigo’.
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