Live And Then Some
Fans of tough-to-peg Texans such asJoe ElyandDoug Sahmought to give this singer and accordion player a good listen. A fixture on the Southern California country and roots-rock scene for the better part of the '80s and '90s, Gaffney stirs up an appealing blend of Bakersfield honky-tonk, soul, garage rock, and conjunto music. The "then some" part of this two-CD set is actually a straight reissue of his cult-classic 1986 debut,The Road to Indio. Gaffney's accordion bounces vibrantly off Gary Brandin's pedal steel while Gaffney's songwriting boasts a knack for clever country wordplay on honky-tonkers like "Don't Let Love Tear Apart (What Lust Has Brought Together)" and "Alcoholidays." Gaffney would actually release two acclaimed Hightone albums during the 1990s before he got to the "live" part of this two-CD set, recorded in March of 1999. The intervening 13 years made Gaffney's already gruff voice that much gruffer though his lighthearted spirit and tangy musical stew remain undiminished. Here he balances nifty originals with covers of Ely,Jimmie Dale Gilmore, andBill Anderson's defiant "The Lord Knows I'm Drinkin'," a country No. 1 hit forCal Smithin 1973 and a perfect manifesto for this Tex-Mex twister.--Marc Greilsamer