Magnolia - Davin James Bullnettle Records - BNR003

By William Michael Smith

	Davin James has stolen a trick from his old compadre Jesse Dayton on his new release, "Magnolia." Just as Dayton had an opening track on his latest CD that literally jumped out of the speakers from the first note with a sound that was undeniably country but that was just as undeniably unique and modern, 'I Thought She'd Think' is in your ear and brain with a joyous noise before you can even begin to run through the usual mental processes (what kind of music is this, who does this remind me of, and all that). The trick is in Mr. James' guitar work, the arrangement, and the stellar backing of his rhythm section, Houston's "he's everywhere" drummer, Rod Robert (Fab 5, Clay Farmer Band) and bassist Joe Perry. Add to the instrumentation the warm, extended-range voice of Mr. James and some clever wordplay, and you've got a bona fide, genuine, honky tonk radio hit. On 'The One That Got Away,' a more conventional honky tonk hurting song, James does his George Jones thing. Lots of singers can imitate the Possum on the high notes, but James is one of the few who can get that low end like Jones. And there is no doubt that this is James' natural voice, not some imitation (actually, I think the comparisons with Jones that reviewers have made are overdone). 'The One That Got Away' is a honky tonk tear jerker, and it hangs its hook on fishing metaphors like I'm still going on about the way she broke it off and the tale keeps getting taller all the time or I have no bragging rights, oh, I gave her too much play/I'm still talkin' about the one that got away. Brian Thomas' tasty steel guitar gives this tune dead-on honky tonk authenticity. Shame on George Jones' management and A&R people if they don't grab this tune and turn it into a monster Nashville hit. James demonstrates his Golden Triangle roots on 'N'awlins Night' and 'Mardi Gras Mamma.' 'N'awlins Night' has that Bourbon Street jazzy lilt, but when the break comes and you think you're going to hear those Louis Armstrong horns toodling, James turns the tables on your ear and fills the solo with an antique Hank Williams steel guitar lick. The effect works perfectly. James' voice is mellow as bonded whiskey on this late night feel track. 'Mardi Gras Mamma,' about a strip joint dancer who works "south of Bourbon Street," is a New Orleans blues featuring some fine piano by Denny Dew. "Magnolia" is a perfect example of the country music that is endemic to the Gulf Coast/Sabine River/Golden Triangle area, where country and Cajun and delta blues and New Orleans jazz have all bled into each other to form a sound unique to that area. James starts the title cut slowly in a simple, folkish country way, only to build up the tempo to a blazing guitar finale. The harmonies are back road and backwoods. 'Real Good Night' has that Waylon ragged-but-right vibe working. (I may as well confess right now that I went over and pressed the reverse button and listened to this one three times the first time I played the record. I admit I've got a serious Waylon jones.) James and Thomas play off each other like Waylon and Ralph Mooney on another cut that deserves to be a radio hit. James paints some great Norman Rockwell pictures for us on a country gospel remembrance tune 'Washed In The Blood.' No matter what your denomination when you were growing up, this one will hit you hard with its commentary on how things have changed. The church don't look like it did before And they don't have dinner on the ground anymore Built a dining room with carpet on the floor The last time I stopped by they had a lock on the door. One of the unexpected treats on "Magnolia" is the cool, jazzy lounge tune, 'Dream Girl.' Color this one midnight blue. On the break, Jesse Dayton lends a soulful, Charlie Byrd-like guitar solo and James answers with equal dexterity on the frets. No Davin James record is complete without at least one knock-down-the-walls rave-up, and 'Rolling Dice' comes with all the necessary ingredients - hot licks, quick changes, and lyrics from the sin side of life. Rod Robert and Joe Perry give this one lots of kick and Davin lays down some of the guitar licks that have made him one of the hottest club acts on the Houston scene. While he has worked primarily in the country end of the spectrum on this CD, 'Rolling Dice' leaves no doubt James could do a dynamite full-blown Texas roadhouse rock record if he chose. I'll order the first one. After familiarizing myself with the record over a weekend, I have developed an even greater respect for Mr. James' work because he hasn't taken the easy route to popularity by cluttering his work with every Texas cliche that seems almost de rigeur with today's alterna-country Texas artists. No tacos, no armadillos, no everclear shots, no Lone Star beer plugs, no Luckenbach-rhymes-with-Shiner-Bock, none of that. James has written a body of songs for "Magnolia" that, like fine wine, will travel well and should find fairly universal acceptance in the hearts of country music fans no matter what state (or contintent) they hail from. There is an integrity and maturity in James' work that some of our up-and-comers would do well to emulate. Not that James' doesn't use Texas when it fits. In 'Heaven on Earth,' James sings about his family ending up in Texas, though they weren't born there. But he doesn't use the Texas label in a callous, calculating, chauvinistic way, doesn't hang his artistic hat on it. When he does use Texas in his song, it just comes naturally. In fact, the song tells of the marriage and love between his father who came from Arkansas and his mother who came from Louisiana. After marrying, James sings that It wasn't long before they moved to Texas, because they believed in chasing a dream. This is a love song that rings so true, it makes all that Faith Hill/Tim McCraw phoney look-deep-into-my-eyes-with-that-meaningful-look, love-for-the-camera music video stuff sound like cheap plastic imitation music. James' song is as solid and real as a gnarled Spanish oak. This guy couldn't fake it if he tried. Like Jesse Dayton's "Tall Texas Tales," "Magnolia" was recorded, mixed and mastered in Houston by Ernie Wells and utilizes homegrown talent throughout (Jason Crisp on fiddle, Denny Dew on keys, as well as Dayton, Thomas and Charlie Sanders of the Jesse Dayton band). Wells has once again done a great job of getting a recording that is bright, hot and no-frills. "Magnolia" demonstrates what Houston club goers have long known ­ that Davin James is one versatile musician. While "Magnolia" achieves the continuity and unity that make for the best albums, within the grooves James moves effortlessly from honky tonk to rock to bluesy ballads to the edges of New Orleans jazz without losing the central thread. Mr. James' singing voice is in rare form on this record, where he not only sings the leads but has overdubbed all the backing vocals and harmonies. Some major label is missing the boat by not having this buttery, straight-from-the-cotton-fields voice under contract. Davin James third solo effort, "Magnolia," should be the breakout record we've all been expecting from this multi-talented Houstonian. All it lacks is some help from the disc jockeys. Put the SheDaisy record down, sir, and slowly back away from the turntable. Visit Davin's web site at www.davinjames.com Contact William Michael Smith at: wms-at-rockzilla.net

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