A primary difference between Jon Dee Graham, who grew up in the small Texas town of Quemado near the Mexican border, and the Texas troubadours who came before him is that his musical development was forged in punk dives of the late '70s and '80s rather than the folk coffeehouses of the '60s. Graham, 39, began building his reputation in Austin with The Skunks, one of the Lone Star state's first punk bands, opening shows for the Ramones, the Clash and the Velvet Underground's John Cale.

The demise of that combo brought the rise of the True Believers, pairing Graham with Alejandro Escovedo in a band that helped bridge the gap between punk rock and the heart of Texas. Austin's favorite sons of the mid-'80s, the lamented True Believers is regarded as one of the most influential bands on today's alternative country movement.

After parting ways with Escovedo, Graham lived in Los Angeles and Europe, working stints with X's John Doe and Michelle Shocked, among others. Patty Smyth, one of many to cover his songs, popularized Graham's "One Moment To Another." Back in Austin, where he routinely holds court Wednesday nights at the Continental Club, he recently toured with Austin songbird Kelly Willis and he handles guitar chores on much of her critically lauded new album, What I Deserve.

But the well-traveled Graham has his own stories to tell, and he spins them skillfully on his sophomore solo album. Summerland, with uplifting moments like "Big Sweet Life," is more sunny and more hopeful in perspective than his 1997 debut, the brooding Escape From Monster Island, even down to the title. Escape From Monster Island, a song cycle of hurt love and single-fatherhood made on the heels of his divorce, was about getting away. Summerland is an album about returning to a place with some peace.

But some of the dark qualities that are in Escape From Monster Island are in the new one. Smack in the middle of Summerland is "Black Box," which, in this song, records crash data for relationships. Graham, who wraps his voice around a soulful blend of rock, country, folk and Latino, is more concerned with prickly emotions than polished artistry. He sings in a raw, gritty voice like Tom Waits, but because his songs are uncommonly good, he doesn't suffer by comparison. Patty Griffin is featured on the duet, "Look Up." Graham also surrounds himself with Austin music veterans Rafael Gayol (drums), George Reiff (bass), Michael Ramos (organ) and Mike Hardwick (electric, acoustic, Dobro and pedal steel guitars). 

While Graham's solo debut was issued by Austin's Freedom Records, Summerland is out on St. Paul, Minnesota-based New West Records, now making him labelmates with Billy Joe Shaver, one of the Texas troubadours he's walking in the steps of.                              ~ Michael Gray

Albums