No Depression (Sept.-Oct. Issue 2005)
Roy Kasten
The sleeper of the four records is Brian Capps’ concise (ten songs, 34 minutes) solo debut. After an acrimonious split
from the Domino Kings, Capps (who has since mended his friendship with Newman, and contributes upright bass to
the Kings’ album) turned to Whitney and the Morells as a backing band. Opening with a menacing but still choogling
groove, Capps starts out at the bottom of a personal hell, gets out on the strength of the best guitar work of
Thompson’s storied career, and leaves his man-in-black vocal impressions far behind him. He turns “Dark As A
Dungeon” into a stutter-shuffle, then echoes gospel on Rodney Crowell’s “Standing On A Rock” and his own
“God Knows Why”, which closes this damned-by-Saturday-night cycle with a convincing glimpse of a restorative
Sunday Morning.”
| © www.BrianCapps.net 2010 |