Blaze a Blaze: Volume Too

Blaze a Blaze: Volume Too

Blaze Foley must surely now hold the record for the most tribute albums devoted to an Austin artist who never got famous, and he's not even through being fêted -- this is supposed to be the second in a series of three. The late songwriter certainly merits the honor, though: If he wasn't quite the flat-out genius that his friend Townes Van Zandt was, then he was surely the next closest thing. If you were wondering why your Foley favorite was left off of the last trib, there's a good chance it's here: "Clay Pigeons" gets a smashing sendup from Julieann Banks & the Apaches of Paris, sounding a great deal like Nanci Griffith; De Lewellen caustically revives Foley's anti-authoritarian spirit on "Officer Norris"; Richard Dobson & State of the Heart make a very competent delivery of "Faded Loves and Memories;" and there's a nice homage to Foley's also-late buddy Jubal Clark. Of course, it's rare that everything on a tribute album pans out, and some things don't work here: Rachel Rain's take on the Ronald Reagan ode "Oval Room" doesn't quite carry Foley's drunken, insolent tone (although the sly altered-lyric jab at Bill Clinton works well) and Sheri Frushay's husky style of singing ("Election Day") wears thin after a while. Regardless of flaws, it's better to have this strong tribute in the hands of Foley's Austin Outhouse friends (Calvin Russell, Shiva's Headband, and John Casner are just a few of the other names here) rather than some major label with flavor-of-the-month superstars and slick production. Friends and integrity were all that really mattered to Blaze Foley, anyway.