Lee Roy Parnell,
Back to the Well



Label: Universal South

(3 out of 5)

Lee Roy Parnell's been around the Nashville block enough times to have learned a trick or two from every great session player in town — and he uses them to good effect on Back to the Well, his new offering on Universal South.

Parnell is a technically strong guitarist with no lack of talent for slinky slide work and double humbucker classic-rock riffing. Moreover, he has a strong voice that lends itself to both crunchy, gospel-tinged blues rockers and creamy R&B ballads.

After years of jumping through mainstream country radio's hoops, Parnell now turns back to his eclectic Texas roots, "back to the well" of soul-tinged southern and country rock that informed his early work. With help from a collection of songwriters, he's created a set redolent of James Taylor, Jackson Browne, Gregg Allman, and even Ray Charles, all the while managing to remain original and true to his strengths.

With Back to the Well, Parnell makes no attempt to recapture the mass appeal he "enjoyed" a decade-or-so ago. As the title track (listen) suggests, this disc represents a personal journey. It reaches its highs with confessional charmers like "Daddies and Daughters" (listen) and "Saving Grace" (listen), and cries out to be turned up to 11 when Parnell lets loose on "The Hunger" (listen).

Back to the Well might be the disc Parnell has wanted to make for himself for a long time, but there's plenty here for others to enjoy too.

Reviewed by Adam Black
June 6, 2006