James McMurtry at the Continental Club (3/5/08)

i went to Austin on Wednesday to hang out, and happened to catch James McMurtry at the Continental Club on Congress. Cool little bar that specializes in Live Austin Music.

James is a groove-makin' master. The initial guitar strum at the start of each song immediately envokes a little foot-tappin'. He writes REAL songs from a cynical standpoint, but somehow, a little hope peeks through in his lyrics. He's got a three-piece band (drums and bass) that rocks. I love seeing three-pieces because no element in the band is uncessesary or wasted. Their drummers seem to always have a little more attitude as they often carry a lot of the song. The lyrics always seem a little more important when there isn't a mess of guitar drowning 'em out.

McMurty doin a little Sister Twistin'

"Ruth Ann and Lynn they wear them cut off britches and those
skinny little halters

And they're second cousins to me.

Man I don't care I want to get between 'em

With a great big ol' hard on like a old bois d' arc fence post

You could hang a pipe rail gate from.

Do some sister twisters 'til the cows come home.

And we'd be havin' us a time."

from Choctaw Bingo

i go to shows to have some drinks and good time, so i didn't plug into the soundboard and get any tracks from the show, but they would've sounded something like this:

mp3: James McMurtry - Choctaw Bingo (live)

mp3: James McMurtry - 60 Acres (live)

mp3: James McMurtry - Red Dress (live)

~ buy Live in Aught-Three (2003)

one more thing - James mentioned that they're almost done recording a new album. It's due out on Arpil 15th. He played a song from it called When The Lines Go Down.