James Talley
Got No Bread, No Milk, No Money, but We Sure Got a Lot of Love (Cimarron)
James Talley’s name may not ring any bells, but in the olden days, the Nashville singer-songwriter was rootsy before the phrase was hip, a talent that saw him perform for President Jimmy Carter’s inauguration in 1977. His latest, Got No Bread, No Milk, No Money, but We Sure Got a Lot of Love, is a comfortable patchwork of songs from 1975-2005, stitching together his acclaimed 1975 Capitol album Got No Bread, a radio interview from the same year, plus his 2006 recording from Cimarron. The Oklahoma native’s deft songwriting and unfettered ear for slice-of-life Americana ring sharp and clear now as then. Songs such as “Red River Reprise,” “Blue Eyed Ruth and My Sunday Suit,” and “Calico Gypsy” are as sharp as covers like Johnny Gimble’s “Big Taters in the Sandy Land.” Talley’s workingman’s ethic is ever-present, a philosophy inextricably sunk deep into his story-songs (“W. Lee O’Daniel and the Light Crust Dough Boys,” “Meehan, Oklahoma”), and so multifaceted that he’s been covered by the likes of Johnny Cash, Gene Clark, and Moby. Produced by Talley and Steve Mendell, Got No Bread is a timeless collection, tall as Tennessee mountains and twice as strong. (Wednesday, March 15, 10pm @ 18th Floor at Capitol Place)
This article appears in March 10 • 2006.