Robert Earl Keen,
No Kinda Dancer

Label: Rosetta Records / KOCH Records
Year: 1983 (reissued 2004)

(4½ out of 5)

It's hard to believe that Robert Earl Keen is in his third decade as a recording artist. But sure enough, REK got his start with 1984's No Kinda Dancer, recently reissued with three bonus tracks by Koch Records.

No Kinda Dancer is an amazingly confident debut. From the oompah-pah of the title track to the bluegrass-tinted instrumental "Death of Tail Fitzsimmons," it is clear that Keen was no doe-eyed newcomer.

Even at the beginning of his career, REK boasted friends with impressive credentials. College friend Lyle Lovett co-wrote "The Front Porch Song" and added harmony vocals to "Rolling By" (covered by Lyle on 1998's Step Inside This House). Likewise, Nanci Griffith wrote portions of "Swervin' in My Lane" and contributed vocals to that tune as well as "Between Hello & Goodbye."

On several songs, especially "The Front Porch Song" and "Christabel," Keen's vocals echo a young Guy Clark. REK's songwriting certainly was sharp enough even at this early stage to merit comparisons to Clark as well.

Koch added "Luann," "The Coldest Day of Winter," and "The Vacuum Cleaner Song" as bonus songs at the end of the 11-track original set. While these songs are fine, they don't really add much value.

Where Koch does add value, besides breathing new life into an out-of-print album, is in giving No Kinda Dancer a Super Audio CD makeover. While the disc plays just fine in standard CD players, listeners with SACD components will benefit from enhanced sonic clarity.

Buy: Lone Star Music, Amazon

November 21, 2004