Jeff Plankenhorn
Plank (Blue Corn Music)On the inside of his solo debut, Plank, local guitarist Jeff Plankenhorn confesses that the working title was I Owe It All to Ray Wylie Hubbard. That’s probably no joke, since Plankenhorn credits Hubbard with inspiring his relocation from Nashville to Austin, a move that’s led to his backing up the likes of Hubbard, Slaid Cleaves, Bruce Robison, and, most recently, Eliza Gilkyson. The move also put him in close proximity to Gurf Morlix, whose co-production of Plank is one of its outstanding features. Plank‘s highly polished sheen comes not only from years of stellar sideman work, but from confident songwriting that ably demonstrates the many facets of roots-rock. Plank tackles the blues (“Lovesick Woman”), country (“I’m So Low”), ballads (the soulful “Go Now” and thoughtful “What You Need”), covers (Blaze Foley’s “Picture Cards”), and soul (“Blindfold”) with all-original compositions. His vocals are warm and friendly, his lyrics both clever and wry (“I got up on the wrong side of this morning …”), and as his good company includes Morlix, Gilkyson, and Ian McLagan, the songs get better with every listen. Standouts are the back-to-back “Mr. Henry” and the fabulously arranged “Mary Magdelen,” bolstered by McLagan’s Hammond swell. It doesn’t often look as if there’s space left on Austin’s singer-songwriter bench, but Jeff Plankenhorn has made room for himself with no trouble at all.
This article appears in July 16 • 2004.