Biography
"I got trouble. That's why I sing," declares Austin-based performer Brennen Leigh on the closing track of her sublime new disc, Devil's on My Trail.
Trouble, it seems, never sounded so good. In fact, Leigh would be wise to keep the mischief coming.
In just a few years, Leigh—alongside brother Seth Hulbert—has firmly established herself as one of the Lone Star State's premiere singers and songwriters. With her third full-length effort, Devil's on My Trail, Leigh is poised to take her time-honored, country-tinged sound to a whole new level. Leigh's approach is both astoundingly simple and wonderfully complex. Her sound is an intoxicating blend of raw talent, wily wit and bittersweet heartbreak—all touched by an affecting, uncommon grace.
"I did my best to make a record that pays homage to the folks who laid things out for us a long time back. At the same time, I tried to be original," Leigh says.
Indeed, Devil‚s on My Trail is steeped in the teary-eyed sound of '60s and 70's country music, buoyed by Leigh's affinity for early Dolly Parton, Gram Parsons and Roy Acuff recordings. It was also inspired by Leigh's own admiration for one of the genre's unheralded singers.
"Any one who says Patsy Cline is the greatest female country singer in history has never heard Melba Montgomery," Leigh insists. "Don‚t get me wrong, Patsy was great. But Melba was writing songs and singing with guts. She could go from somber low tones to high and strong ones. She sounded as if she were truly crying and pleading. I was really inspired by her during this recording."
Vocally, Leigh has never sounded better than she does throughout Devil's on My Trail—quite a feat considering her pair of stellar previous albums: Lonesome, Wild & Blue (2002) and Too Thin To Plow (2004). Those were fine, fascinating works, but Devil's on My Trail seems to have finally captured the true essence of Leigh's musical appeal.
Kick-off track "Desperately Alone" makes the most of her alternately pleading and assured delivery. It also features the rollicking piano of Earl Poole Ball, whose credits include performing with Merle Haggard, Buck Owens, Ricky Nelson, the Flying Burrito Brothers and a 20-year tenure with Johnny Cash.
"I Still Think About You" is a wistful tale of lost love, anchored by Leigh's affecting vocal performance. It was written by longtime-friend and Fargo, ND native Brooks West. Equally moving is "You'd Be Wrong," which rides a slightly shuffling country groove and weaves a defiant tale of heartbreak. The song was penned by Austin-based Leo Rondeau, who also hails from North Dakota.
Collaboration, it seems, was key in making this Devil fly.
"We recorded the last album in one day and used the same four-piece band the whole way through" says Hulbert, referring to the critically lauded Too Thin To Plow. "This time, we spent over a year recording and there were at least 20 people who played on it." Recording for Devil's on My Trail started at The Fire Station in San Marcos, TX in November 2004 and was completed at Murray Music in Austin in November 2005.
Among the top-notch players assembled are bassist Roscoe Beck, who accompanied the Dixie Chicks during their Top of the World tour; guitarist David Murray, who tours with Kelly Willis and also recorded and engineered portions of Devil's on My Trail; bassist Brad Fordham, who has worked with Willis, Bruce Robison and Billy Joe Shaver; and Lisa Pankratz, drummer for "anyone and everyone in Austin."
Flatlanders guitarist Rob Gjersoe rips through a few tracks, as does acclaimed dobro player Cindy Cashdollar, who has worked with the likes of Ryan Adams, Leon Redbone, Graham Parker and Bob Dylan (on his recent, Grammy-winning Time Out of Mind disc). Cashdollar also spent eight years as the steel guitarist for western swing kingpins Asleep At The Wheel.
Alt-country heroes the Weary Boys provide frenetic instrumentation during the disc‚s rousing closing track, "That's Why I Sing." And acclaimed Austinite James "Slim" Hand duets with Leigh during the call-and-response "Stumblin On," which effortlessly shifts between moods and tempos.
"James has become somewhat of a mentor to me in these past months," Leigh says. "He's a smart, gentle person with a lot of knowledge and experience. His advice means a lot to me because I love his music. He plays real, honest-to-God country music. That's refreshing."
But it's ultimately Leigh herself who truly captures the Devil's magic. She penned ten of the album's 15 tracks, including the semi autobiographical "Waitin' Out the Rain" and "Pieces on the Ground," a melodic ode that captures the graceful beauty of some of country music's finest female singers.
"Like A Freight Train" is drenched in saucy blues licks, and Leigh handles her own blowsy, blustery lyrics with impressive aplomb. The sublime "Give It Up To Jesus" is a thoughtful rumination on not only religion, but ultimate redemption. And the gospel-tinged "Carry Me" bristles with hope and conviction.
"Don't Let Go That Rail, John" is another standout, a foreboding tale of stormy times that evokes images as vivid as its lyrics. Its unlikely partner, "Weather Blows In," weaves a different kind of forecast. The song was written by Austin guitarist/producer David Murray and his wife, Robin Rather, as they huddled under a staircase during a tornado. It's one of the album's loveliest moments.
"Songwriting, to me, is like dancing," Leigh says. "You may know the steps at first, but they come more easily the more practice you have. I try my best to write just good, honest, simple, no-baloney songs. Just say what you need to say."
Leigh's and Hulbert's love for music began at an early age via their father's record collection, which included everything from Asleep at the Wheel to Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. Dad also sang and played guitar.
Effortless harmonies with brother Seth frame Leigh's high, lonesome vocal style, which recalls the best elements of Gillian Welch, Emmylou Harris, Tanya Tucker and Hank Williams, among others.
The duo received a warm welcome when they toured a few weeks in summer 2004 with the legendary Ralph Stanley and His Clinch Mountain Boys. "I'll be telling my grand kids about that one," Leigh says.
There have also been performances at legendary Houston spots Anderson Fair and the Mucky Duck and at Fort Worth's White Elephant Saloon. Leigh has shared the stage with Hot Club of Cowtown, Billy Joe Shaver, Dale Watson and Don Walser.
The young singer also got a brief glimpse of superstardom when she made the Top 20 on Nashville Star, the USA-network's countrified version of American Idol. She didn't win the title (thank goodness), which seems to suit Leigh — and her renegade musical philosophy — just fine. "I believe that people will get sick of glossy, overproduced pop-country." People are not stupid. Buy a Dale Watson album and you'll see country is far from dead. Invest in something that lasts," Leigh says.
"I know my relatives will buy my record. My greatest hope here is to bring this music to a younger audience. Older folks will listen to me until the cows come home, and they have been so good to us. But the young people have been harder to capture. I do think there is a market out there for this kind of thing."
One listen to Devil's on My Trail should hook fans of any age — instantly. If it doesn't, you're just not really listening.
- Joey Guerra, Houston Chronicle