David Wilcox Underneath CD

"I know compassion is all out of fashion/And anger is all the rage." So begins singer/songwriter David Wilcox' 13-part story of coming out from under and making it in the modern world. From the daily cynicism of the Alison Krauss-assisted title track to financial struggles ("Never Enough"), human loss ("Prisoner of War"), and the frustrations of the recording industry ("Sex and Music"), Wilcox deals with a wide array of difficult topics, but is able to find hope in nearly all of them. In "Down Here," a duet with Jennifer Kimball, the pair finds solace and joy in being together, despite being outcasts "under the radar of the status quo." "Hometown" finds another pair split by questions of "the good life" reminiscent of "Green Acres," yet with much less satisfaction. In "Dust To Dust," Wilcox finds freedom even in death. The answer, Wilcox lyrically posits, is perspective ("The truth has changed how I see," he says in "Leaving You"), and though Wilcox' topics may at first seem discouraging, his sensitive and human handling of them teach us all to find the music in even the most difficult aspects of our lives. ~ Matthew Robinson

Recorded at L'Abbeville, Hourma, Louisiana and The Doghouse, Caleb, Tennessee.

Personnel: Gary Nicholson (guitar, National guitar); Steve Buckingham, Larry Chaney (guitar); Stuart Smith (electric guitar); Sonny Landreth (slide guitar); Alison Krauss (viola, background vocals); Bill Miller (flute); Garrett Doyle (Uilleann pipe); Tim Lauer (accordion, piano, harmonium); Kirk Whalum (soprano saxophone, tenor saxophone); Reese Wynans (Hammond b-3 organ, Wurlitzer organ); Byron House (upright bass); Wolof Walo Walo, Owen Hale, Chad Cromwell (drums); Tom Roady (percussion); Duawne Startling, Ioul Yelnnun, Jennifer Kimball, Ashley Cleveland, Vicki Hampton, Robert Bailey (background vocals).

Personnel: David Wilcox (vocals, acoustic & baritone guitars, vibrolon); Gary Nicholson (electric & National guitars); Steuart Smith, Larry Chaney (electric guitar); Sonny Landreth (slide guitar); Steve Buckingham (transitone guitar); Alison Krauss (viola, backround vocals); Bill Miller (flute); Garrett Doyle (Uilleann pipes); Kirk Whalum (soprano saxophone); Tim Lauer (accordion, piano, harmonium); Reese Waynans (Hammond B-3 organ, Wurlitzer piano); Byron House (upright bass); Victor Wooten, Michael Rhodes (bass); Tom Roady (percussion); Jennifer Kimball, Ashley Cleveland, Robert Bailey, Duawne Starling, Ioul Yelnnun (background vocals); Tymoard, Wolof Walo Walo Drum Ensemble.

Engineers: Gary Paczosa, Toby Seay, Sabar Balo.

Dirty Linen (8-9/99, p.72) - "...another solid pop-folk offerning from this dependable performer....a fine example of well-crafted, intelligent songs played with verve and style."