“Let’s keep the lonely places lonely as long as we can,” mourns Red Shahan on the title track to sophomore outing Culberson County. Shahan’s voice rings an elegiac tone, simmering with the fading inevitability that lingers like the long West Texas horizon, but the Fort Worth-based troubadour isn’t just clinging nostalgically to the past. Lead cut “Waterbill” shakes a scuzzy Southern guitar boogie echoed by the backside’s full-cylinder drive of “Revolution.” Shahan walks a line that can circle the Red Dirt country circuit but also potentially break its orbit, grinding bluesy backroads grit (“Enemy,” “6 Feet”) against easy-rolling crowd anthems (“Someone Someday,” “Roses”), and poetic, clenched-jaw ballads (“Memphis,” “Hurricane”), with a dash of soulful pleading to smooth the mix (“Idle Hands,” “Try”). Stepping up from his notable 2015 debut, Red Shahan’s geared up to take off – in any direction he wants to aim.

***.5

This article appears in May 4 • 2018.

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

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.