MUSIC REVIEW OF THE DAY: JEFF AUSTIN - THE SIMPLE TRUTH

A debut solo album, but from a seasoned vet. Austin left the Yonder Mountain String Band just last year, a favorite bluegrass jam act. Here he stretches his wings, and brings in a whole lot more to his new sound. The songs are tight, and stray far away from the basic bluegrass, and certainly there's no jamming.


Austin has a compelling voice, and he reminds me a lot of Rodney Crowell. Not just vocally, but in his playfulness with the country-roots sound. Gatling Gun has serious hard rock bottom, banjo on top. Simple Truth is a funky tale, a little Little Feat in there. Shake Me Up moves into soul territory with horns and a tight groove. These are songs that should find favor in most roots communities, but just in case you forget where he came from, Austin lets the crack band go for on Run Down, featuring some vicious playing. Sounds like Austin might have been chaffing at the bit in his old band.