Category:
Roots / Singer/Songwriter

Try if you like:
Golden Smog, Grant Lee Phillips, Jayhawks, Josh Rouse

I've been a long-time Jayhawks fan, even after Mark Olson's split with Gary Louris. So I guess that makes me a Louris fan as well. When I heard about the eminent release of Gary's first solo album, Vagabonds, you can bet I was I excited. When you attach your name to a project you tend to reach even further. Before his songwriting was always hidden behind a band name but now anyone listening to any of these songs will know exactly who's responsible.

This is still a group affair though. Gary doesn't like to be exclusive, so everyone involved takes part. Sure, Louris is the songwriter of each and every tracks but when it came to studio time everyone pitched in. There is a group of singers tagged as "The Laurel Canyon Family Choir" that includes wonderful voices like the Bangles' Susanna Hoffs, Rilo Kiley's Jenny Lewis, Chris Robinson and many others. You'll find this group backing on a number of tracks.

The album opens with the signature sound of Louris on "True Blue". You can hear Chris Robinson's touch on "Omaha Nights", quite an upbeat track for Gary and a nice one for the Singers to chime in. "To Die A Happy Man" is a nice blues track that seems very personal for the singer. You can feel heartbreak on "She only calls me on Sundays" in which the lover only gets a call when the girl is drunk on red wine, cigarettes and prescription pills. "Black Grass" is indeed a highlight with the clever arrangement they come up with. The title track is probably the crowning moment of Vagabonds though. It just feels that everything comes to a head and all cylinders are firing perfectly. "D.C. Blues" is a favorite as well. The clever acoustic guitar playing mixed with the haunting pedal steel makes for the perfect backdrop to this sombre ballad. The album then closes with the quiet and aptly titled "Meandering".

The production of Vagabonds is also impeccable. Chris Robinson of The Black Crowes deserves credit for this. 

Watch for Gary re-uniting with Mark Olson later this year for yet another project.