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Artist: James McMurtry
Album: Complicated Game
Bitrate: 228kbps avg
Quality: EAC Secure Mode / LAME 3.98.4 / -V0 / 44.100Khz
Label: Blue Rose Records
Genre: Rock
Size: 94.79 megs
PlayTime: 0h 55min 22sec total
Rip Date: 2015-02-28
Store Date: 2015-02-27

Track List:
--------
01. Copper Canteen                   4:38
02. You Got To Me                    5:23
03. Ain't Got A Place                2:41
04. She Loves Me                     3:01
05. How'm I Gonna Find You Now       4:03
06. These Things I've Come To Know   3:18
07. Deaver's Crossing                4:00
08. Carlisle's Haul                  7:13
09. Forgotten Coast                  3:34
10. South Dakota                     5:03
11. Long Island Sound                6:47
12. Cutter                           5:41

Release Notes:
--------
ôHoney donÆt you be yelling at me while IÆm cleaning my gun.ö In lesser hands,
an opening line like that might signal a shallow, stereotypical piece of
country-rock bombast was on its way. Good thing then the line in question is the
kick-off for James McMurtryÆs new album Complicated Game, which trades in
honesty, humor, eloquence, and integrity every step of the way.

Those qualities are what folks have come to expect of McMurtry, whose literary
background rarely shows itself via ten-cent words or elaborate metaphors.  Yet
read between the lines of his songs and youÆll notice how he tells seemingly
simple stories that both resonate on a personal level and manage to touch on
larger themes and social issues as deftly as any protest singer.

In the case of the line mentioned above, it begins ôCopper Canteen,ö a sneakily
moving meditation on marriage. Accompanied by brooding strings, McMurtry crawls
inside an ornery narrator through lived-in details: chopping wood, shoveling
sidewalks, and marking time ôthrough a series of Chevys and Fords.ö Amidst the
routine, he watches his local store marginalized by ôbig boxesö and laments the
unknown future. For all his tough talk though, the embrace of his wife in the
dark is the one thing that keeps him pushing against the tide.

ThatÆs just the first of the effortless epics that McMurtry spins on Complicated
Game, his first full-length since 2008Æs Just Us Kids. If there is a twist this
time around, itÆs that he spends a bit more time than on previous releases on
romance, even if that word seems far too flowery for the hard truths and small
victories that characterize most of the relationships depicted here.

McMurtry prefers to undercut any creeping sentiment with bittersweet touches.
ôYou Got To Meö doesnÆt skimp on the adulation, but it comes on behalf of a girl
whoÆs long since departed the narratorÆs lonely life. ôShe Loves Meö may seem
from the title like a flat-out love song, and itÆs even embellished by some
doo-wop flavor, but the swooning is mitigated by the fact that the ôsheö in
question is carrying on another tryst while the protagonist is away. And while
itÆs not for sure that the stone-faced and chilling closing track ôCutterö
references a failed relationship, the inner demons it displays seem to negate
the benevolence of love in any form.

While Complicated Game tends to be a somber, contemplative musical affair, it
leaves room for some feistier romps. ôForgotten Coastö is a bluesy boogie
featuring Derek Trucks on slide guitar. And ôHowÆm I Gonna Find You Nowö is a
banjo-fueled adrenaline-pumper reminiscent of Bruce SpringsteenÆs ôOpen All
Nightö; both feature half-cocked heroes on an all-night ride to possibly find
their girl and definitely find some trouble.

McMurtry gets to flash some fast-talking lyrical skills on that track, but heÆs
just as affecting when heÆs playing characters struggling to stay resilient in
the face of the unbearable pressure. Those characters include the war vet who
finds the futility of farming life pushing him back to reenlistment in ôSouth
Dakotaö, or the put-upon fishermen scraping to get by in ôCarlisleÆs Haul.ö As
much as despair would seem like the most sensible option in these songs, hope
persists, or, as McMurtry puts it, ôAt the end of the rope thereÆs a little more
rope most times.ö

McMurtry brings all of the albumÆs disparate themes together on the beautiful
ôLong Island Sound.ö Over traditional Irish instruments like Uilleann pipes and
low whistles, McMurtry intones a chantey about a Tulsa native who finds himself,
much to his bemusement and ambivalence, living with his kids in the New York
City suburbs, a soccer Dad buying rounds for the ôstrangers, the Mets and the
Rangersö while musing about a long-ago love singing hymns in an Oklahoma church.
Life is indeed a Complicated Game on James McMurtyÆs latest. ItÆs an album that
shows again and again that very few songwriters on this planet illuminate the
oft-unfair rules of this game or the inner workings of the players quite like he
can.



This NFO File was rendered by NFOmation.net

Artist: James McMurtry
Album: Complicated Game
Bitrate: 228kbps avg
Quality: EAC Secure Mode / LAME 3.98.4 / -V0 / 44.100Khz
Label: Blue Rose Records
Genre: Rock
Size: 94.79 megs
PlayTime: 0h 55min 22sec total
Rip Date: 2015-02-28
Store Date: 2015-02-27

Track List:
--------
01. Copper Canteen                   4:38
02. You Got To Me                    5:23
03. Ain't Got A Place                2:41
04. She Loves Me                     3:01
05. How'm I Gonna Find You Now       4:03
06. These Things I've Come To Know   3:18
07. Deaver's Crossing                4:00
08. Carlisle's Haul                  7:13
09. Forgotten Coast                  3:34
10. South Dakota                     5:03
11. Long Island Sound                6:47
12. Cutter                           5:41

Release Notes:
--------
“Honey don’t you be yelling at me while I’m cleaning my gun.” In lesser hands,
an opening line like that might signal a shallow, stereotypical piece of
country-rock bombast was on its way. Good thing then the line in question is the
kick-off for James McMurtry’s new album Complicated Game, which trades in
honesty, humor, eloquence, and integrity every step of the way.

Those qualities are what folks have come to expect of McMurtry, whose literary
background rarely shows itself via ten-cent words or elaborate metaphors.  Yet
read between the lines of his songs and you’ll notice how he tells seemingly
simple stories that both resonate on a personal level and manage to touch on
larger themes and social issues as deftly as any protest singer.

In the case of the line mentioned above, it begins “Copper Canteen,” a sneakily
moving meditation on marriage. Accompanied by brooding strings, McMurtry crawls
inside an ornery narrator through lived-in details: chopping wood, shoveling
sidewalks, and marking time “through a series of Chevys and Fords.” Amidst the
routine, he watches his local store marginalized by “big boxes” and laments the
unknown future. For all his tough talk though, the embrace of his wife in the
dark is the one thing that keeps him pushing against the tide.

That’s just the first of the effortless epics that McMurtry spins on Complicated
Game, his first full-length since 2008’s Just Us Kids. If there is a twist this
time around, it’s that he spends a bit more time than on previous releases on
romance, even if that word seems far too flowery for the hard truths and small
victories that characterize most of the relationships depicted here.

McMurtry prefers to undercut any creeping sentiment with bittersweet touches.
“You Got To Me” doesn’t skimp on the adulation, but it comes on behalf of a girl
who’s long since departed the narrator’s lonely life. “She Loves Me” may seem
from the title like a flat-out love song, and it’s even embellished by some
doo-wop flavor, but the swooning is mitigated by the fact that the “she” in
question is carrying on another tryst while the protagonist is away. And while
it’s not for sure that the stone-faced and chilling closing track “Cutter”
references a failed relationship, the inner demons it displays seem to negate
the benevolence of love in any form.

While Complicated Game tends to be a somber, contemplative musical affair, it
leaves room for some feistier romps. “Forgotten Coast” is a bluesy boogie
featuring Derek Trucks on slide guitar. And “How’m I Gonna Find You Now” is a
banjo-fueled adrenaline-pumper reminiscent of Bruce Springsteen’s “Open All
Night”; both feature half-cocked heroes on an all-night ride to possibly find
their girl and definitely find some trouble.

McMurtry gets to flash some fast-talking lyrical skills on that track, but he’s
just as affecting when he’s playing characters struggling to stay resilient in
the face of the unbearable pressure. Those characters include the war vet who
finds the futility of farming life pushing him back to reenlistment in “South
Dakota”, or the put-upon fishermen scraping to get by in “Carlisle’s Haul.” As
much as despair would seem like the most sensible option in these songs, hope
persists, or, as McMurtry puts it, “At the end of the rope there’s a little more
rope most times.”

McMurtry brings all of the album’s disparate themes together on the beautiful
“Long Island Sound.” Over traditional Irish instruments like Uilleann pipes and
low whistles, McMurtry intones a chantey about a Tulsa native who finds himself,
much to his bemusement and ambivalence, living with his kids in the New York
City suburbs, a soccer Dad buying rounds for the “strangers, the Mets and the
Rangers” while musing about a long-ago love singing hymns in an Oklahoma church.
Life is indeed a Complicated Game on James McMurty’s latest. It’s an album that
shows again and again that very few songwriters on this planet illuminate the
oft-unfair rules of this game or the inner workings of the players quite like he
can.



This NFO File was rendered by NFOmation.net


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