Bruce Robison Wrapped CD

Occasionally, talent runs in the family. Consider the Robison Brothers, Charlie and Bruce, who released simultaneous albums on Pete Anderson's Lucky Dog label. Both turn the Texas troubadour aesthetic into something distinctive, but each has his own musical voice. While Charlie is more of a honky-tonker, Bruce's work leans more toward the poetic and introspective. He leans more solidly on the singer-songwriter tradition than his brother, coming as a kind of Austin James Taylor. The key element here is the country-derived earthiness that Robison brings to his sharply observed acoustic ballads. His raw, emotive voice serves to remove any distance between himself and the listener, as he sings about the feelings nearest his heart. If you're in doubt as to the autobiographical nature of these intimate-sounding tunes, a clue is provided by the presence of "My Brother and Me."

Recorded at the Hit Shack, Austin, Texas.

Personnel: Bruce Robison (vocals, acoustic guitar); Rich Brotherton (acoustic & electric guitars, mandolin, synthesizer, background vocals); Pat Buchanan (acoustic & electric guitars); Martin Muse (steel guitar, dobro); Lloyd Maines (steel guitar); Gene Elders, Amy Tiven (fiddle); Chip Dolan (accordion, piano); Floyd Domino (piano); John Ludwick (bass, background vocals); Brad Fordham (bass); Young Chris Searles (drums, percussion); Mark Patterson, Chad Cromwell (drums); Robyn Robinson, Charlie Robison, Kelly Willis (background vocals).