Alcorn/Chadbourne
An Afternoon in Austin (Boxholder)Dr. Eugene Chadbourne
Texas Sessions: Chapter Two (Boxholder) Words like “experimental” and “eccentric” have long defined multi-instrumentalist/singer Eugene Chadbourne. The North Carolina-based former Shockabilly frontman has also played with John Zorn, Fred Frith, Henry Kaiser, Elliott Sharp, and Camper Van Beethoven, and with that pedigree, one expects good things from the good doctor. An Afternoon in Austin finds Chadbourne collaborating on country covers and originals with Houston steel guitarist Susan Alcorn, all taped one afternoon in an Austin living room. Opener “How I Love Them Old Songs” is a good start, and Loretta Lynn’s “I Got Caught” is another standout. But Merle Haggard’s “If We Make It Through December” and A.P. Carter’s “Hello Stranger” are given the same treatment: a loose intro, followed by several minutes of spaced-out improvisation. “Sugene (Improvisation #2)” and “Albourne (Improvisation #1)” never rise above abstract noisemaking. Texas Sessions: Chapter Two is a tribute to the venerable Doug Sahm. Along with Alcorn, it features local harp king Walter Daniels and Sahm rhythm section Ernie Durawa and Speedy Sparks. On Sahm’s “Can’t Go Back to Austin,” Durawa and Sparks display the vigor and elastic interplay that made Sir Doug’s band so fine. Yet Chadbourne’s singing leaves a bit to be desired on Sahm’s “Old Habits Die Hard” and Muddy Water’s “I’m Ready.” To Chadbourne’s credit, these two outings are simple, low-budget affairs, taped during one weekend — both an asset and limitation. Emotions emitted during performance shine, but the DIY nature of these projects reinforces the demo tentativeness of the weaker songs. Combining the best parts of each release would have been a better strategy.(Both) 
This article appears in May 23 • 2003.