HOUSTON MARCHMAN & THE CONTRABAND
Desperate Man (self-released)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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Houston Marchman and his comrades in the Contraband have carved out a fine reputation on the Texas honky tonk circuit as a band that can party as hard as the crowd can stand, but for this disc Marchman was determined to dial it all back a couple notches and let the songs shine. I gotta tip my hat to that idea, because these are some fine songs.

Marchman tips his own gimme cap to Robert Earl Keen in the notes, and there are songs here that Robert Earl would be proud to call his own. There are songs here that Townes would have loved to write, that Willie would love to sing, that Texas can be damn proud of, and Texas has produced a lot of real fine songs.

Marchman is a real fine singer, too, with a voice just ragged enough to sound real and just sweet enough to sound, well, damn near perfect. The band creates a set of "just right" settings for the songs, and by the time you're through with this one, you're likely to be checking the price of Greyhound passage to Marchman's next gig.

Track List:

$2 Pistol * Midnight * Suzanne * Sweet Love * Desperate Man * Broken Glass * Cosmolene * Hey Senorita * Policeman * San Miguel * Satellite * Come On Baby (Reprise) * Hold Fast

© 2003 - Shaun Dale