Graham Weber

The Door to the Morning

If Graham Weber’s sophomore album, Beggars Blues, bowed to acoustic Dylan, his third rises with purpose. Door offers some of Weber’s finest songwriting but also a jolt to the arrangements courtesy of Leatherbag’s production, hand-claps, and Hammond organ punching up the rolling optimism of opener “Snow in July” and a propulsive rhythm rocking the Tom Petty-esque “After the Boulevard.” Yet Weber’s voice remains languorous with a restrained, nasal drawl, “Candle’s So Close” waxing toward John Prine and a familiar Jeff Tweedy disillusion slowly taking hold of the album. Romances spark and fade, through the beautiful desperation of “Italian Lullaby” into the bitter strokes of “Bite Your Tongue.” The backside works through a crushing despair in fairground lights flashing desolate, the titular entryway to the morning never opened, and culminates in the ultimate resignation of “Nevermind.” “Hearts break every day,” Weber sighs on “Field of Marigolds.” True, but rarely are they voiced with such purpose.

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This article appears in February 8 • 2008.

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Doug Freeman has been writing for the Austin Chronicle since 2007, covering the arts and music scene in the city. He is originally from Virginia and earned his Masters Degree from the University of Texas. He is also co-editor of The Austin Chronicle Music Anthology, published by UT Press.