Record Exchange Boise

Reviews:

Van Zandt had a larger than life aura while he was alive, and since drinkinghimself to death six years ago, his legend has grown exponentially. Van Zandtcame of age in the '60s, but even then he was outside of the country, pop andcommercial folk mainstream. He made a name for himself on the Houston coffeehouse circuit, but even on his earliest songs, as you will discover for yourselfwhen you listen to In the Beginning, the recently rediscovered music from VanZandt's first recording session, his vision was fully formed. Melodically thetunes are part Old English balladry, part delta blues and part cowboy song,with Van Zandt finding the deep, dark melancholy thread that connected thesefatalistic traditions, the same dangerous and desperate vibe that gave rockand roll and R&B the edge that frightened white America when it arose inthe late '50s. Even on these early tunes, Van Zandt's melodic invention is evident.Then there's that voice, and his lyrics. Like Hank Sr. and George Jones, VanZandt has a break in his throat; a subtle gasping sound that implies tears andcontained fury, suicide and homicide. His lyrics are already literary, and severalsongs, "Gypsy Friday," "When Your Dream Lovers Die" and"Maryetta's Song" are as powerful as anything you may be familiarwith. On a few songs you can hear Van Zandt struggling to make the words fitthe meter, but most of them are as beautiful—and strange—as his more familiarstandards.