Cody Jinks

I’m Not the Devil (Cody Jinks Music/Thirty Tigers)
Add Cody Jinks to the list of new country outlaws populated by Sturgill Simpson, Chris Stapleton, and Jamey Johnson. Heavily bearded, tattooed, and hailing from Ft. Worth, Jinks moves from his thrash metal band into a country sound that’s straight out of the mid-Nineties, the last time honest-to-God country enjoyed good standing. Bona fides include a Merle Haggard cover (“The Way I Am”) and more than enough authenticity (“Give All You Can”).

***.5


Kim Simpson

Songs & Sightings
Authoring media textbook Early ’70s Radio: The American Format Revolution, guitarist Kim Simpson here collects some of his best work as a singer-songwriter, 1992 to 2014. From the smartly picked “Tang of Seaweed” to the quietly told tale of “Simon St. Claire,” Songs & Sightings delivers a pleasing mélange of roots styles. A straightforward, yet striking reading of Rank & File’s “Sound of the Rain” demonstrates worthy inspiration.

***


Travis Green

A Little Too Late
Austin native Travis Green commutes to Scandinavia, where he’s developed a notable following. His debut might generate the same profile locally given its wide range of Texan styles, from rockin’ country (“A Little Too Late”) to sweaty rockabilly (“Caroline”) and Fifties blues (“The Only Love”). Not quite the next J.D. McPherson, but getting there.

***


This article appears in August 5 • 2016.

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