Castles in the Sand/Hello in There Plus in Bloomington, MN

Bear Family
continues its
David Allan Coe
reissue program with 1983's
Castles in the Sand
and
Hello in There
; both albums were produced by
Billy Sherrill
.
is one of
Coe
's most underrated and consistent. Coming well after his glory -- and scandal -- years in the 1970s,
and producer
integrated their partnership into a seamless whole.
wrote a big chunk of the album and his tunes are as solid as the material on 1982's
Rough Rider
D A C
The standouts include
"Son of a Rebel Son,"
and the utterly haunted title song written as a tribute to
Bob Dylan
, followed by a funky
country
read of
Dylan
's own
"Gotta Serve Somebody"
with
Lacy J. Dalton
, who adds a certain depth and wildness to the mix. More than on any of their other collaborations,
Sherrill
showcases
as a fine, understated, interpretive singer. One of the eeriest covers
ever cut is of the
J.B. Detterline, Jr.
/
Gary Gentry
classic
"The Ride,"
about the ghost of
Hank Williams
making an appearance to offer advice to a young Turk. Coming at the place it does in
's career -- on the downside, but certainly not out -- its irony is particularly poignant.
"Missin' the Kid"
is a self-penned
waltz
that is sad and hunted, full of regret and remorse over the loss of his daughter when his second marriage broke up, something he never got over. It's also one of the most sensitive things he's ever written, as it is full of empathy for a daughter he hasn't seen in over ten years. Also included here is
"I Can't Let You Be a Memory,"
an early original by
Warren Haynes
,
the Allman Brothers
Gov't Mule
guitarist who played with
for 15 years. The album closes with two love songs, the bittersweet
Karen Sue Brooks
tune
"Don't Be a Stranger,"
a duet with
Eve Shapiro
, and
"For Lovers Only (Part 1)."
Like a
Tom Waits
ballad
, the keyboard whispers as
begins to sing from a barstool, offering a portrayal of himself trying to write the song in some gin mill -- asking an imaginary waitress for a Jack Daniels and water, and a pencil with an eraser on it. He stumbles, flubs, and finds his way through a fond wish for those who dare to love and not give up, no matter how rough the breaks can be.
is less a concession to radio
than
, it's wilder in some senses and less focused, but no less compelling a listen. Divided into two sections, a
side and a city side,
explores the rocking side of
and the
side of
rock
conversely.
wrote only four tunes on the album, but his interpretive singing is so idiosyncratic and authoritative he makes them his own. The set opens with
Paul Kennerley
's
honky tonk
reverie
"Crazy Old Soldier,"
that juxtaposes regret, defiance, acceptance and resignation.
"Out of Your Mind"
's better broken love songs and
"Drinkin' to Forget"
is the other side of the equation. The title track written by
John Prine
feels strange being on the "city side" of the record, but
's interpretation is wonderful. He turns the lyric inward, like a reflection in a mirror.
"For Lovers Only (Part II
) is the sequel to a tune with the same name on
comes off as if he is writing the song during its recording, and though gimmicky, it works. There is an immediacy and warmth that carries it to the listener whole. The CD closes with the profoundly beautiful
"My Father Smoked His Pipe,"
a leftover from the session. It's a deep meditation on the ever -hanging nature of family and its labyrinthine twists and turns. Once more there is evidence that
's entire period with
Columbia
and his partnership with
resulted in consistently high-level work despite the fact that Nashville was changing around him and his trademark brand of restless yet utterly faithful
music was being squeezed from the picture. ~ Thom Jurek