San Antonio produced an unlikely musical champion in Garrett T. Capps. 2016’s Y Los Lonely Hipsters slanted a wry, irreverent grin, flashes of Hayes Carll or Todd Snider in Capps’ ballads of bitching and bad decisions. In the Shadows (Again) maintains the underlying absurdity, but bakes a new, weird, hipster honky-tonk that hearkens alt.country and cowpunk while then turning both sounds on their head. The hard-twinging twang of opener “Born Into a Ballroom” and “Go Home” disorient with subtle effects, a lo-fi wandering through the dancehall in an opiate haze. Similarly, “The Interstate 35 Waltz” approximates Wayne Hancock on downers. Winding seven-minute side A closer “Here Right Now” rolls out like a West Texas road mirage in Capps’ low drawl. The backside’s “Baby Please” delivers the LP’s most straightforward offering, sandwiched between the warm warp of “Dancin’ Hands” and epic 11-minute closer “Trouble’s Callin’.” The effect is Texas surreal.

***.5

This article appears in August 10 • 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.