Solid collaboration from two of Americana’s finest.
Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Dave Alvin must have two of the most distinctive voices in Americana. Of course they also both have long and distinguished careers including many solo albums as well as work with the Flatlanders and the Blasters, and in Alvin’s case two albums with his brother Phil. In 2018 they collaborated with a joint album, ‘Downey to Lubbock‘ and the current album repeats the formula of swapping lead vocal on most tracks and taking a verse each on others. The band is different this time but has strong contributions all around, in particular from Bukka Allen on piano and Hammond organ.
The opener ‘Borderland ‘ is a Gilmore co-write with David Hammond. Gilmore takes the vocal and Alvin contributes his typically engaging guitar. Alvin has the next lead vocal on ‘Southwest Chief’. The late Bill Morrisey gets a posthumous co-credit on a lovely if rather typical Alvin song where he half talks/half sings the lyrics and uses the eponymous train as a metaphor for the journey of life. Next is Blind Willie McTell’s ‘Broke Down Engine’ with Gilmore returning to lead vocal. It’s again a strong effort with spiky guitar from Alvin. That pretty much sets the template for the rest of the album. It’s light on further originals. Gilmore contributes the pleasant ‘Trying to Be Free’ and Alvin, ‘Blind Owl’, which opens with a strong bluesy riff and again employs the rather familiar Alvin formula. It’s reminiscent of many a previous Alvin song, perhaps especially, the title track from his 2004 album Ashgrove, but is nonetheless highly listenable and like most of the album rattles on by. Bukka Allen’s father Terry is a co writer with Alvin on ‘Death of the Last Stripper’ which also featured on his own recent album and is a highlight of both sets. Alvin and Gilmore take alternate verses here and the stripped down arrangement is very effective.
Almost before one knows it we’re into the second half of the album. Songs from Butch Hancock, Brownie McGhee and Josh White are all pleasant enough listens but one can’t help get the impression that there is something of a lack of original material to draw from and as stated above Alvin has a tendency to repeat himself. Both the Alvin brothers have had recent battles with cancer and as Gilmore is 79 and Alvin 68 it may be tempting for some reviewers to play the age card and cut them some slack . This isn’t the case here. ‘Texicala’ is an engaging and vibrant album if a little predictable and short on original work. Still the covers are interestingly chosen and all warrant attention in their own right.
The final song,’We’re Still Here‘ is the only Alvin/Gilmore co-write and could have been a sentimental throwaway. Instead we get a vibrant and defiant bluesy closer which would be a natural to end a joint concert. Let’s hope there is more to come from these stalwarts of the genre.
