GUY CLARK – SONGS AND STORIES
While Songs and Stories is exactly what you get here on Clark’s second only live album, Guy Clark and friends might be a more apt title in terms of artist or artists, as Clark sings only nine of the songs, and takes a break mid set as collaborators Vernon Thompson and Shawn Camp take over for four songs. Mind you, at seventy years of age a little kip mid-set is allowable for the legendary Texan songwriter. What you do get on Songs and Stories is a documentation of Clark where he is today. The song selection has many of his staples – Homegrown Tomatoes, LA Freeway, Dublin Blues – but the voice, while still strong and distinctive, has lost some of its range and elasticity. But the stories remain the same, strong, home-spun, sung with a wry smile and a lot of love for all the characters invloved, and that has always been Clark’s strength. The plus here is that the intimacy of the recording and playing is much like sitting on Granpa’s lap as a young ‘un and enjoying the tales of characters gone, and the warmth of a familiar embrace.
*** 1/2
