HEADS UP! SINGER/SONGWRITER JD SOUTHER IS PROMOTING HIS LATEST DISC. THIS WEEKEND HE’S AT MCCABES IN SANTA MONICA. DON’T MISS IT CHECK WWW.MCCABES.COM FOR MORE DETAILS

JD Souther
Natural History
Eone Music
www.jdsouther.com
By George W. Harris

Funny yet appropriate title to this disc, as Souther himself might end up in some display at a Natural History museum. One of those glass enclosures titled “Extinct Species: Singer/Songwriters” would be a fitting home for this guy who penned songs like “Best Of My Love” “New Kid In Town” and “You’re Only Lonely.” He went hiding for a few years, maybe living in the Badlands with Ward Bond or Dan Duryea, as he always seemed like the type to be in a John Ford movie. Anyway, he put out a disc and an ep a year or so ago, and they were just superbly desolate and weather beaten. This time around, he creates an intimate atmosphere with a stripped down entourage; just him and his guitar, with rhythm supplied by Jim White/dr, Bryan Sutton/g, Viktor Krauss/b and cameo appearances by Jeff Coffin/ts-ss, Jerry Douglas/dobro, John Hobbs-Chris Walters/p, John Jorgenson/cl and Rod McGaha/tp.

Yes, he does some of his biggest tunes, but it’s like Ellington revisiting “Mood Indigo” 30 years later; there is a new feel and approach, with flamingo guitar on “…Kid” and open wounds on “Best…” Other tunes, like “Go Ahead And Rain” and “The Sad Café” expose a perception on life that is rarely reflected in this modern age of anger and self-absorbed angst. Souther’s voice is as wonderfully dusty as Monument Valley, and his playing is as sedate as the Mojave at sunset. Sit back on your porch, and take it in. He’s going to be at McCabes Guitar shop in June, starting a long overdue tour-do NOT miss it.