James McMurtry @ The Montrose Room 1/14/11

For years Chicago has pined for James McMurtry to swing through the area and for years in seemed like a musical drought. But now in the last year he has been through town twice: first and Fitzgerald's with the full band and most recently on a solo campaign to The Montrose Room, The Old Town School of Folk, and Space. At the Montrose Room show, James was in great form. He opened with Down Across the Delaware, a great song that is part warning about the "grass is always greener" mentality and part modern lamentation. Always the self-deprecating joker, James asked for a little more vocal in the monitor. "Hey, make me sound like a rock star and not the hotel lounger singer that I am." (The Montrose Room is a hotel venue.)

James McMurtry/by mcp

You may be asking, "Who is James McMurtry?" Chances are, if you have not heard of him, there is no song that would ring a bell for you. And yet, he's neither has-been nor one-hit-wonder. He is simply an most honest, poignant, and unflinching songwriter who has flown under the mainstream radar (thankfully?) for his entire career. It's not too difficult to describe his music. It's almost always guitar-based saloon rock. (I'm surprised this isn't already the name of a genre.)

No target is too large or too small for his attention. If you're willing to acknowledge that America is shipping jobs overseas or that the gap between rich and poor is growing, then he's for you. If you feel your grey hair creeping in and remember a time you could walk off and leave your El Camino in the ditch to avoid police interference, then he's for you. If you're of a generation that has lost it's connection to the fields and is left dividing grandma's farmland, then he's for you. James frequently revisits these (and numerous other) themes that seem to be uniquely American.

If one were looking for the on-ramp to James McMurtry's music, the Live in Europe album would be a good start. His most recent album (Just Us Kids) is amazing as well.