By design, Jeff “Horti” Hortillosa’s Corpus Callosum doesn’t rest within one genre. Foretold by the title of his solo disc, the Whiskey Shivers guitarist invites listeners into his brain, and bluegrass ain’t on it. Instead, there’s a mélange of lush, beachy guitar licks (“Falling Down”), a cabaret ditty led by jazz clarinet (“You Can’t Make Me Pie”), and a tropicalia ode (“Beer and Condoms”) whose whistled melody sticks. Country roots also shine through the floorboards. “Pretty and Stupid” features blooming pedal steel and loping fiddle, and “Girls Named Katie & Girls Named Lynn” is a tongue-in-cheek two-stepper. Horti’s tour de cranium doesn’t follow any rules, but we’re ready for another visit.

***

This article appears in August 18 • 2017.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US