DWIGHT YOAKAM

DWIGHT YOAKAM - RAISING THE BAR

Dwight Yoakam is one of the most overlooked mainstream, major-label artists in country music. Perhaps that's because he avoids anything that smacks of "mainstream" like the plague. It is extremely difficult to come up with new words for "excellence" when it comes to discussing the works of Dwight Yoakam. He's always testing himself, and raising the bar himself, forcing himself to jump a little higher, "crawl the extra mile."

Here, in his third release in two years, Dwight does it again. As though to thumb his nose completely at radio, which largely ignored his triumphant "mainstream" release Tomorrow's Sounds Today, Dwight returns to his hillbilly bluegrass roots in what he calls "the companion soundtrack" to his movie South of Heaven, West of Hell.

The album is not truly a "soundtrack" as that word is defined, and certainly not as most soundtracks are. The songs presented on this disc are for the most part not in the movie at all. Instead, as Mr. Yoakam claims, the songs are meant to capture the overall feel of the film. Here he has presented a study of his main character. He delves into the thoughts, feelings, and actions of "Valentine Casey." But laying aside the film for a moment, "the companion soundtrack" stands alone exceptionally well. Dwight opens with "Words," the overriding theme song of the movie. On the disc, Dwight presents the lyrics (which do not appear in the movie): "Words are not my friend ... they'll watch as you stumble, then laugh when you fall." Lyrically, it is cynical; musically it is soaring, inspirational, and sets the tone for the music to come.

Each song is a nod to Mr. Yoakam's own spirituality, his sense of the otherworldly, and his reverence for the topic. There are 10 songs, of which Dwight himself wrote (or co-wrote) six. The other four are traditional gospel hymns bluegrass/Appalachian-style old time music which, here presented, demonstrate that Mr. Yoakam is indeed a Kentucky hillbilly, Hollywood trappings aside, and he has not forgotten his roots or where he came from. It's clear this is no presentation of "hot at the moment" bluegrass. The sounds and flavor are all Dwight. After "Words" is the traditional "Who at the Door is Standing," a duet with Bekka Bramlett. The arrangement is bluesy, the delivery powerful.

Ms. Bramlett is an exceptionally strong vocalist, and her voice merges well with Dwight's. Now we have been set up, and Dwight delivers "Tears for Two." Written by Yoakam and Holly Lamar, it's a spritely number, one he presented in concert throughout the 2001 tour. While the song contains Dwight's very distinctive and unmistakable vocals, it's also quite different from his usual psycho-billy hot-country honky-tonk style. There is a light, gentle tone to "Tears for Two," but the lyrics are classic Dwight: "Lucky found me too late/To be what I could use/And caught me tempting fate/Still red-handed and confused."

There aren't a lot of songwriters who can weave words as Dwight does, and he's not afraid to go places that aren't expected: "So even if this worn-out heart was new/And all its foolish hopes were true/This one lifetime just won't do/'Cause I've cried enough tears for two." "The Darkest Hour," a traditional gospel tune, is presented here in a very clear, stripped-down bluegrass style, just a jangle of banjo and guitar, with very little percussion. This is another tune Mr. Yoakam did during the 2001 tour, and while I have to say the live version-particularly after September 11-has more poignancy, I am becoming very fond of the simple, heartfelt version presented here on the disc.

"The First Thing Smokin'" is back to Dwight as we've seen him before-hard rockin' country, just this side of the Alabama/Georgia bad boys, but the lyrics remain true to the overall gospel feel of the album: "My path was laid/on a star-crossed night/As Satan showed his hand/I heard angels weep as they watched the plight/Of a soul without a chance."

"What's Left of Me" pairs writer Dwight with an unusual partner: Mick Jagger. Mick and Dwight partnered up to produce this shufflin' honky-tonk tune, as though to prove that ol' Mick is still perfectly justified in wooing that "Honky Tonk Woman" of his. Although this is a favorite track of mine, personally, I think it may actually have been better suited to "Tomorrow's Sounds Today," as it is a straight-up country love song. Still, this appears to be the "section of the movie" where love is proving triumphant, for the next song is "Somewhere," a solo-penned effort that speaks to the longing heart, searching for that one true companion of happiness: "Somewhere tonight two hearts both needing/Somewhere tonight each one all alone/Somewhere tonight a chance for them pleading/Somewhere tonight that soon could be gone."

The final three songs return to the gospel sound, with Dwight's own "The Last Surrender" (which, according to rumor, had many people assuming it was a song written specifically about September 11, although the album was already, of course, ready to be shipped by then, to meet its October 2 release); this is followed by my personal favorite track, "No Future in Sight," a sharp and classy song of yearning, responsibility, and knowledge of one's own eventual end. Not quite finally is the traditional "It Is Well With My Soul." Mr. Yoakam is vocally strong in each track, standing on the final note of "It Is Well" in a combination of pride and reverence for just long enough so that it lifts the spirit and carries the listener into the final, jazzy instrumental version of "Words," which rolled over the final credits of "South of Heaven," to quietly lower us back to earth.

Personally I find the jazzed-up version of "Words" a bit jarring, somewhat out-of-place here, but as the closing theme of the movie I understand its inclusion here - as the movie was standing on the edge between "then" and "now," so is the music. Sandwiched between the songs are snippets of dialog, set pieces from the film, some of them fairly important lines; others that merely capture the dark humor and sense of absurdity that typify the whole of the film. As a whole, I find the companion soundtrack album excellently conceived and executed. As always, Mr. Yoakam's backup band is in top form, demonstrating even more of their talent as Dwight himself takes a hand at dobro and hot lead guitarist Pete Anderson shows his skill at baritone guitar, percussion, banjo, and mandolin.

In his normal manner, Dwight Yoakam looks away from the Nashville faux-country cookie-cutter sound and makes his own shape. He might have once swum in the center of the "mainstream" but he certainly didn't need to stay there to stay afloat. He walks his own road and pays no attention to "what sells," and as such, his music stays as true and real and strong; no, far, FAR stronger, than anything being played on country radio today, as of course, not one of these songs will be heard on "country radio." This is country radio's loss, and your gain if you buy this album.

Kathy Coleman Take Country Back January 2002