Live Down Under
Omnivore, 2021
8/10
The outlaw country legend Billy Joe Shaver was going through a lot of personal turmoil when these live recordings from 2002 were culled from 3 nights alongside the fellow Texas legend Kinky Friedman, who also contributes vocals and acoustic guitar.
Additionally, Little Jewford brings keys, melodica, kazoo and backing vocals, and Jesse Taylor and Washington Ratso both handle acoustic guitar, with Ratso also offering backing vocals to the animated and playful evenings.
“Intro Coin Toss” starts the listen with a proper introduction, before segueing into the swift acoustic sounds of “Georgia On A Fast Train”, where the vivid storytelling draws us in immediately.
There’s 22 tracks here, and each shines in its own light, including the warm meshing of guitar and keys on the country rock of “Old Chunk Of Coal”, while “Ride Me Down Easy” moves calmly, but with plenty of grit in the very meticulous delivery. “You Asked Me To” might be the best tune, and displays fascinating guitar work in a mesmerizing setting.
Deeper into the listen, “Honky Tonk Heroes” certainly brings a honky tonk spirit to the firm keys and guitar acrobatics, and “Old Five And Dimers Like Me” flows with gentle balladry in Shaver’s inimitable vision. The last actual tune on the album is “Try And Try Again”, where Shaver discusses the recent loss of his son and wife with much forthrightness amid the strong attention to detail that comprised his lengthy, esteemed career.
Shaver passed away last year at the age of 81, and this collection sure does do a great job of capturing his unique and timeless live show. It comes with excellent liner notes and amazing sound quality, too, and is absolutely the next best thing to actually seeing Billy Joe Shaver live.
Travels well with: Bobby Bare- Great American Saturday Night; Buck Owens And His Buckeroos- Sweet Rosie Jones