Graham Weber,
Beggar's Blues



Label: (self-released

(4 out of 5)

Graham Weber is a young man with an old soul. He brings a poetic stoicism to tales of death, despair, devotion, and so much more on Beggar's Blues, his second album and first since moving to Texas from his native Midwest.

Weber is a rich lyricist who furthers the progression of contemporary folk-based artists like Adam Carroll, Todd Snider, and Slaid Cleaves.

Each song is a graceful composition in verse: It's a beautiful Sunday in lower Manhattan / And I'm hoping that one day / These pains fade away / They won't serve bloody Mary's till twelve hours till Monday / So I'm shakin' and waitin' / On Avenue A (from "Avenue A"—listen).

He possesses a Dylanesque ability to craft densely packed lyrics, yet make their low-fi delivery seem natural and effortless, as on "After All" (listen) and "Crackin' Up" (listen).

While gloom suffuses Beggar's Blues, Weber also is capable of producing more whimsical songs—like "Love and Money" (listen), which playfully explores the mismatched desires, and "Stars and Circles" (listen), which toys with fads and consumerism.

Weber is a relative newcomer to Texas, yet he already has established a number of fruitful friendships. Carroll (harmonica), Jeff Plankenhorn (dobro), Lloyd Maines (pedal steel), and Daniel Makins (drums) are among the central Texas musicians who lend their talents.

Beggar's Blues is a hauntingly beautiful work of raw artistry and rich talent. Weber certainly is a welcome addition to the Texas scene.

(Note: You may purchase Beggar's Blues at Graham Weber's live shows. It soon will be available from CD Baby, which currently carries Weber's debut, Naive Melodies.)

October 1, 2005