Bobby Bare Jr - Young Criminals Starvation League

  by Geraint Jones

published: 16 / 6 / 2003

---

Review

Your Dad’s a famous country singer, you’ve toured with him, you’ve sung with him, and by the age of five you’ve already been nominated for a Grammy with him. Family friends include Tammy Wynette, George Jones and songwriter Shel Silverstein, who apart from writing some of your father's best material also wrote ‘A Boy Named Sue’ for Johnny Cash. Another family friend, Waylon Jennings gives you the bass guitar he played in Buddy Holly’s band as a present. Strange and wonderful times, which for most raised in remotely similar circumstances couldn’t possibly have resulted in the unexpected wild card talent of the progeny in question – Bobby Bare Jr. Better know for his fuzzed up – alt country – rock outfit, Bare Jr, who’ve released a couple of albums on Virgin, both worth checking out incidentally, ‘Young Criminals’ Starvation League’ is his first genuinely solo record, despite his band’s moniker probably confusing things somewhat. Although ‘Young Criminal’s Starvation League’ is a very different piece of work to his bands’ output, they’ll still sit comfortably enough together in your CD collection. Appealingly shy of any hint of starstruck, spoilt rich-kid afflictions, Bobby Bare Jr is an undeniable talent, who has also had the good taste to call up some excellent complimentary assistance – the album is co-produced by Lambchop’s Mark Nevers, with several of his cohorts lending musical support including Paul Burch. Bobby Bare himself crops up on backing vocals and less a star turn but no less deserving of a mention are the occasional vocal contributions from Carey Kotsionis, apparently a room mate of Bobby Bare Jr’s girlfriend. Wrapping his appealing rough-hewn vocals around these occasionally dark, frequently funny, mostly self-penned songs with titles to match – ‘Flat Chested Girl From Maynardville’, ‘Bullet Through My Teeth’ and ‘The Monk At The Disco’ being prime examples – ‘Young Criminal’s Starvation League’ is a revelation. From the bitter sweet country of the late Shel Silverstein penned ‘Painting Her Fingernails’, a semi-acoustic rockabilly, pedal-steel punctuated take on The Smiths’ ‘What Difference Does It Make’, and the bright, upbeat pop on brass-fuelled opener ‘I’ll Be Around’, the album is an abundance of riches. Actually released almost a year ago, I am sorry it has taken me so long to get here. Hopefully Bobby Bare Jr will get the urge to go solo soon. I for one eagerly await his next move whatever it will be.

Track Listing:-

1 I'll Be Around
2 Flat Chested Girl From Maynardville
3 Mehan
4 Bullet Through My Teeth
5 The Monk At The Disco
6 Dig Down
7 What Difference Does It Make
8 The Ending
9 Stay In Texas
10 Painting Her Fingernails