| Gary Louris has shown pop-star eager earmarks since 1989, when his endearing "Baltimore Sun" cracked the honky-tonk playlist that was the Jayhawks' sophomore record, Blue Earth. While Louris dipped his toe in a pop direction after Jayhawks co-founder Mark Olson departed in 1995, he never took the full plunge until now, with his first solo effort. Chiming with guitars and choruses and soaring melodies straight out of 1975, Vagabonds rightfully pens the Minneapolis musician inside a small stable of America's greatest songwriters--and singers--adding three or four compositions to his career-best list. The 10-song record (produced by Chris Robinson, late of the Black Crowes) polishes the wide-ranging Louris palette with the simplest of instrumentation, including organ and banjo, ethereal pedal steel playing from Josh Grange, and a backing chorale led by Susannah Hoffs and Jenny Lewis. Louris's saccharine falsetto has never sounded better, whether it's offering Paul Simon-like imagery ("To Die A Happy Man"), channeling John Lennon ("Black Grass") and Nick Drake ("Meandering"), or preaching with the Laurel Canyon choir ("I Wanna Get High"). Jayhawks followers will find comfort in "True Blue"--missing only Olson's co-vocals--and "D.C. Blues," in which Louris borrows the traditional country line, "Hand me down my walking cane," before declaring, "It's my game to win / It's my game to lose." My money is on the former. --Scott Holter |
