Music Review: JD Souther, John David Souther

By Melissa Bratcher

It’s strange to hear a reissue of an album from 1972 that sounds as current as Omnivore’s reissue of JD Souther’s John David Souther. It’s not a difficult argument to make that Souther’s cult-classic albums were precursors to present day Americana. It’s all here: thoughtful lyrics and a high lonesome voice (on occasion); momentary fiddles and bottleneck guitar. JD Souther is a songwriter’s songwriter, known for writing for the Eagles (all of their good songs? Souther had a hand in those, like “New Kid In Town” and “Heartache Tonight”), and his songs have been covered by artists from Glen Campbell to India Irie to Linda Ronstadt.

The liner notes for John David Souther call the album “a cornerstone of the West Coast country rock sound,” and indeed, in those liner notes, Souther points out how, upon moving to Los Angeles, he heard the Flying Burrito Brothers and Poco. Those influences are evident in his music (and, post-John David Souther, he would go on to be in a band with Chris Hillman of the Burritos and the Byrds, and Richie Furay of Poco, calling themselves the Souther/Hillman/Furay Band, which just rolls off the tongue like gossamer, doesn’t it?). You can also hear the sound of the coming juggernaut of the Eagles and their like.

JD Souther has an authentic, honest voice. On “Run Like A Thief” (later covered by Bonnie Raitt), there’s not a superfluous moment in his vocal performance, even when he hits a perfectly pure falsetto note. It’s easy, not showy. You can’t help but believe him, like when he sings, “I’m tired of being lonely” on “The Fast One.” Here, he veers into honest-to-Pete high lonesome territory, and paired with hoedown fiddles and nicely dirty guitar, it sets the tone for the record; it’s a little bit country, more than a bit of rock and roll.

The Southern rock balladry of “Kite Woman” has lovely harmonies and gorgeous, delicate guitar from Souther and Glenn Frey. “How Long,” too, is a dose of country rock with a bit of mettle. It was later recorded by the Eagles, but Souther’s raw vocal performance here slays. “Out To Sea” is a beautiful, soaring song. Souther sings with soul and grit, and the bottleneck guitar adds texture and punctuation. The song is melancholy and yearning. The back up “oooh” vocals are a bit much, but the way Souther’s voice cracks as he delivers “we will” makes up for it. It’s a wonderfully human moment.

The reissue of John David Souther boasts bonus tracks, mostly acoustic demos. These are stripped-down, bare-bones songs that give interesting insight into Souther’s prowess. The standout track, though, is the demo of “Jesus In 3/4 Time.” The final track, also on the album, features appropriately churchy (but restrained) piano, and shimmering harmonies. The demo reduces the song to an acoustic guitar and lyrical fiddle. The result is soulful and meaningful in a way that the final track isn’t. It’s stunning.

Omnivore’s coming reissues of JD Souther’s subsequent albums, Black Rose and Home By Dawn are intriguing. The time is certainly right to pay tribute to a (perhaps unwitting) pioneer of Americana, and hopefully, these albums will receive the attention and accolades they deserve.

John David Souther was released by Omnivore Recordings on January 8.