Short-time Superdrag guitarist Mic Harrison set about recording Pallbearer's Shoes with drummer/producer Don Coffey Jr. shortly after that band went on indefinite hiatus in 2003. And the results run from good to breathtaking. Opening with "Something to Let You Down," which recalls everything great about vintage Posies, Guided By Voices, and the sorely missed 'Drag itself, Harrison is at home with an array of styles, from the countrified piano-laden warmth of "Journey's End" to the Rhodes-touched acoustic ballad "Welcome to the World," which shimmers with optimism. The soft, somber "Madame" rivals the beauty of John Wesley Harding's tenderest moments, while the barstool bomp of "River City Bluff" pays tribute to the whiskey-soaked Tennessee that Mic calls home. Guests include former members of GBV, Harrison's old group the V-Roys, and Superdrag visionary John Davis, but the songs on Pallbearer's Shoes don't need such bells and whistles -- they're sturdy enough to stand on their own. Simply put, this is a strong album that's hard to leave alone.
© John D. Luerssen /TiVo