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James McMurtry is an Austin (Texas) singer songwriter, son of novelist Larry.
James has inherited his father's knack for storytelling, although his richly
detailed vignettes of the depressed American wasteland recall Raymond Carver
more than his father's epics.
A minimalist economy presides over the
literate albeit laconic tales of moral and physical breakdown
that make up Too Long In The Wasteland (Columbia, 1989).
Backed by John Mellencamp's band and produced by the star himself,
McMurtry hums (if not exactly sings) his lyrics and hints at melodies,
a tactic reminiscent of Lou Reed.
A catchier and radio-friendlier style surfaces on
Candyland (Columbia, 1992), especially in
Candyland, but McMurtry's true voice is still in the flashes of
ordinary life of Where's Johnny and Good Life.
With Don Dixon producing, arranging and playing,
the autobiographical Where'd You Hide The Body (Columbia, 1995)
broadens McMurtry's sonic palette and tries very hard to produce
catchy tunes.
It Had To Happen (Sugar Hill, 1997) continues in that vein of increased
musicianship without sacrificing his manic attention to the everyman.
He even experimented with funky rhythms.
The humble vignettes of
Walk Between the Raindrops (1998),
Saint Mary of the Woods (2002) and
Childish Things (2005)
sounded less and less relevant.
Sensing that the times were mature after eight years of bad government,
McMurtry delivered Just Us Kids (2008), a set of protest songs
(Cheney's Toy, God Bless America, Hurricane Party)
that constitute a pessimistic fresco of the USA in the first century.
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(Translation by/ Tradotto da Michele Venturini)
James McMurtry Š un cantautore di Austin (Texas) , figlio del romanziere Larry.
James Š rimasto inerente alla capacit… del padre di raccontare storie,
sebbene la sue vignette riccamente dettagliate delle aree desertiche depresse
Americane richiamino Raymond Carver pi— dei racconti epici del padre.
Ue'economia minimalista presiede i racconti letterati sebbene laconici
di morale e di esaurumenti fisici che truccano Too Long In The Wasteland (Columbia, 1989).
Rientrato dal gruppo di John Mellencamp e prodotto dalla star stessa,
McMurtry canticchia (se non esattamente canta)parole e suggerimenti
alle melodie, una tattica che richiama Lou Reed.
Uno stile che cattura ed Š adatto alle radio emerge da
Candyland (Columbia, 1992), specialmente in
Candyland, ma la vera voce di McMurtry Š ancora nei flash
d vita quotidiana di Where's Johnny e Good Life.
Con Don Dixon produce,arrangia and suona,
l' autobiografico Where'd You Hide The Body (Columbia, 1995)
espandendo la tavolozza sonora di McMurtry e impegnandosi duramente
per produrre suoni che catturino l'attenzione.
It Had To Happen (Sugar Hill, 1997) continua in quella vena di
accreasciuta musicalit… senza sacrificare la sua maniacale attenzione
per l'uomo qualunque.
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