Americana Music Reviews

Austin Cunningham
Where I Come From
Senior Partner Records

by David Pilot

This review's a tough one, y'all. As a rule, when I and my fine colleagues here at Rockzillaworld pop in one of the new discs we receive, we have an idea what's coming and always know within five or six listens just exactly where we stand. When Austin Cunningham's second disc showed up, though, I'll admit I didn't have a clue who he was or what he was about. The cover art looked good to a Texan, just a picture of a grinning Cunningham holding some nailed together 2x6's with the words "Where I Come From" painted on 'em in blue over a Texas flag. So far so good. When the disc hit the changer, though, it didn't take long for my wife to say, well, the boy sounds good, but I can't tell who he's trying to sound like. Ouch. I personally thought that voice sounded a lot like Desmond Child, the songsmith for a bushel of the big pop and pseudo-metal hits of the 80s who released a disc or two on his own to prove he could. Unfortunately, he couldn't. Thus we come to Austin Cunningham's first cut on his second release, a song called "Southern Side of Town." It's one of those deeply sentimental and heartfelt songs that sound so good and real and honest around a campfire but come across as contrived and throwaway on a CD.

I was born on the southern side of the river
Where a handshake is your contract
And your name means everything
I was raised on the Good Book's promise
And the pride my daddy taught me

. . . .etc.

It's good material, the same sort of thing any man worth his salt thinks on a damned near daily basis. But it sounds hokey, like one of those "honest roots country" songs you might get from a Kenny Chesney. Surprising, since this disc was recorded in Cunningham's living room and from top to bottom hints at a raw intensity and earnest sense of self and place that should add up to a whole lot more. Guarantee you these songs would sound good over a cold one at the Lone Star Café and Club in Garland, Texas, but they come across more like one of Garland's fictional and well-meaning residents, Hank Hill, on a Sunday afternoon standing in line for the buffet at the Golden Corral.

There's more of the same on cut number two, "The Best That I Could Do." Cunningham says in the liner notes that this particular song talks about a relationship that went south, and again it's a good thought that comes across half-baked.

You never did quite understand
What I've been and who I am
For all the pain that I've come through
I did the best that I could do

This is surprising, as Cunningham's had songs recorded by the likes of Dolly Parton and Kathy Mattea. While the former may be seen as a two-note joke in the eyes of some, Ms. Mattea's ability, depth and overall quality are a force to be reckoned with. Likewise for Randy Travis, who's also laid down tracks from Mr. Cunningham. But a closer look reveals that Nashville acts like Tracy Byrd, Martina McBride and (oh hell) SheDAISY have also found songs in this artist's library that appealed enough to be album cuts. This leaves Cunningham in a peculiar predicament, a spot smack between heaven and hell. He's a Texan, and proud of it, but one who left the Lone Star state to make his way on Music Row. It shows.

On the title track, co-written by Cunningham and friend Allen Shamblin, the South Texas oilfield communities and their singular way of life are painted vividly and accurately by two men proud to know what they're talking about. It's one of the stronger cuts on this disc, getting to things held dear without dipping into the bigass jar of maudlin the first two cuts depend on for their life. But then there's a track like "Goin' to Austin," a self-proclaimed jab at all the faults and foibles of the music bidness in Nashville town, with a verse like this:

I'm goin' to Austin
Where the music's live
Where an outlaw like Freddy Powers can still survive
You can find me in Austin
While I've still got my pride
This is me kissin' Nashville goodbye

While we here at Rockzillaworld will wholeheartedly agree that Nashville's a joke, fact is we find the sentiment a bit hard to stomach coming from a man who recorded his disc there and still hangs his hat in that town. It's one thing to be an Austin-based Jesse Dayton and release something like Hey Nashvegas. It's another thing entirely to be a Nashville resident and write songs like this ­ apparently aimed at the fans of the self-proclaimed "Texas Music Revolution." Let's face it, good music's good music, no matter where it's made. But if it's going to claim someplace as home, it damn sure oughtta be made there.

Austin Cunningham is to be commended for making anti-Nashville songs right there on Music Row, let's give him that. But albums like this that lay unabashed claim to Texas roots and offer liner note thanks to everyone from D/FW radio hero Bruce Kidder and the aforementioned Lone Star Café and Club just damn well oughtta be made in Texas. If an artist doesn't give a damn about the money and big hits in Nashville, the artist oughtta damn well be somewhere besides Music City, right? Cunningham sings a lot (and makes references to on his website) about being broke and bucking the system. So do artists like Davin James, Jesse Dayton, Tommy Alverson and Brian Burns. But all those guys live south of the Red River. They're allowed, because they live it every day.

Bottom line, Where I Come From isn't a bad album on the whole. In fact, if you grab a copy you'll find some songs you'll really like. "Uncle Underwood" is one. "Long Flight to Vegas" is another. It's a tune that sounds written for the current stars of country music, but it's got a bite most of them won't touch.

So I'm headin' to those desert sand casinos
Where the women dance and the city always shines
No, I don't expect that I'll break even
But at least I'll see it comin' this time

* If you're a fan of the songwriter/singer who's seen his work go gold and wants some of that for himself, check out Austin Cunningham. Just don't go expecting yourself the second coming of Skip Ewing. There's info a-plenty and some audio clips that offer up a real good sample of what you can expect on Where I Come From at www.austincunningham.com. Tell you what, I hope Austin finds himself one of these days and decides where he wants to be now. He's a talented songwriter, one who could break outside of the formula and make some music that matters if he wants to. Unfortunately, he's not there yet. For a Texan out in Tennessee with his guitar and not much else, that's got to be a tough hand to play.

Contact David Pilot at: tailgunner-at-rockzilla.net

 
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