Kevin "Shinyribs" Russell made his name in the roots rock and Americana scene as the lead singer, main songwriter, and accomplished multi-instrumentalist in
the Gourds, one of Austin's most popular and unpredictable bands. Their albums range from bluegrass to hardcore honky tonk, with side trips to the swamps of Louisiana and the acid-drenched highlands of psychedelia. The ever-prolific Russell started performing as
Shinyribs in 2006, in an attempt to showcase the tunes he was writing that didn't fit into
the Gourds' format, as unlikely as that may sound. On his solo debut, he's backed by some of Austin's best musical mavericks, and turns in another unclassifiable romp full of his enigmatic word play and powerful, countrified vocal style. Folk-rock with a taste of R&B informs "Who Built the Moon," a slow-grooving tune with a poetic lyric that imagines the origins of the moon. "Poor People's Store" has a jug band feel with acoustic guitar, shoe box percussion, standup bass, and a ragtime beat.
Shinyribs sings about all the nifty deals you can pick up on the cheap, including socks with flames, some pills for yer pain, and a fish that sings "Take Me to the River." "Country Cool" is an old-fashioned honky tonk tune that salutes the joys of organic farming and drinking beer with a solid backbeat, wailing harmonica, and icy pedal steel. The apocalyptic "(If You Need The) 442" is a rocker has a hint of early Motown with a crackling electric guitar and rollicking barrelhouse piano. "Morning's Night" is a funky Southern rocker with more than a hint of progressive psychedelia in its wide-open sound. An extended outro features huge clanging guitars soaring from speaker to speaker to produce a lonesome, desolate aura.
Shinyribs closes the set with a soulful, bare-bones cover of
Sam Cooke's "Change Is Gonna Come," with just
Shinyribs on ukulele and vocals that show off the high range of his expressive tenor. ~ j. poet