Walk Between The Raindrops

The son of Pulitzer Prize-winning author Larry McMurtry and the musical brethren of Texas songwriter Townes Van Zandt (whose "Rex's Blues" is suitably covered here), James McMurtry spits out curt one-liners in a flat deadpan that dissolves in uneasy silence. Produced by Lloyd Maines, who contributes Dobro, pedal steel, and mandolin, Walk Through the Raindrops is quieter in tone than McMurtry's major label releases. The rustic arrangements make the lyrics just that much more folksy. "Tired of Walking" and "Airline Agent" are as close to topical songwriting as he's come, while a verse like "Every little bit counts/Though it may not count for much /They could be long forgotten /By the time you add ‘em up" is a fine example of the existentialist frontier McMurtry's so fond of probing. --Rob O'Connor