By David Okamoto, KERA 90.1 commentator
Dallas, TX – [Track One: Kacy Crowley's "Church Organ"]
When it comes to pop music, Texas, particularly Dallas, doesn't just produce stars - we produce phenomenons. And since nobody this year approached the headline-grabbing success of The Dixie Chicks, LeAnn Rimes or Norah Jones, 2003 looked like a letdown on paper. But the lack of a breakout superstar made it that much easier to focus on the music rather than the celebrities: My 10 favorite Texas albums of the year may not have made an impact on the charts, but they certainly made an impression.
At No. 10 is "Midnight at the Black Nail Polish Factory" by Dallas garage band The Death Ray Davies, whose blatant affection for the Kinks and other 60s icons blossomed into an irresistible signature on songs like "The Girl Who Stole the Eiffel Tower" and "Maggie Doesn't Blink" - the guitars were as fuzzy as thrift-store polyester but leader John Dufilho's vision was crystal clear.
[Track Two: Deathray Davies' "Maggie Doesn't Blink"]
Two-stepping in at No. 9 is "Mabelle" by Henrietta-born Ben Atkins, a honky-tonk hero in waiting who delivered deceptively simple odes to small-town life with a sneaky flare for goosebump-raising imagery. The South Austin Jug Band holds the No. 8 slot with their refreshing self-titled CD of mandolin-laced porch jams and fiddle-fueled breakdowns. At No. 7 is the calling card from San Angelo's Los Lonely Boys, featuring brothers Henry, JoJo and Ringo Garza. Willie Nelson adopted them and critics praised them for channeling the spirit of Stevie Ray Vaughan - but they were at their most convincing when marrying south-of-the-border rhythms to southern soul.
[Track Three: Los Lonely Boys' "Hollywood"]
"Hard Groove," released by Roy Hargrove under the name the RH Factor, holds the No. 6 slot - the Dallas trumpeter's 21st century take on fusion made for compelling dancing and listening because jazz remained an anchor, not just a motif. Trish Murphy's triumphant "Girls Get in Free," brimming with the type of heart-tugging twang-pop confections that Lucinda Williams has forgotten how to write, is my No. 5 choice, while No. 4 belongs to Bobby Patterson's "Soul Is My Music," a compilation of the ragged but righteous 45s that the Lone Star soul man cut between 1965 and 1970. Ray Wylie Hubbard, ranking No. 3, dug even deeper into his blues roots on "Growl," taking no prisoners as he rallied around his Texas roots and railed against corrupted souls.
[Track Four: Rodney Crowell's "Rock and Roll Is a Vicious Game"]
Rodney Crowell didn't top 2001's brutally introspective masterpiece "The Houston Kid" with "Fate's Right Hand," but my No. 2 pick did find him gracefully confronting middle age and mortality with a clear eye and a clenched fist. However, when it came to reaching down and battling back, no Texas album moved me like Austin singer Kacy Crowley's "Moodswing." Produced by Jon Dee Graham and propelled by her raspy-voiced tenacity, Crowley shook off broken promises from ex-lovers and record company executives, coming to grips where others would merely gripe.
[Track 5: Kacy Crowley's "Church Organ"]
David Okamoto is senior producer of entertainment at Yahoo Broadcast and a contributing editor to ICE magazine. If you have comments about David's list, call (214) 740-9338 or contact us at kera.org.