Review- Dallas Burrow: Blood Brothers
Photo by Madison Taylor
Listening to Texas native, Dallas Burrow’s stories, you get the feeling he has lived several lifetimes in his thirty-five years on earth. A former hell raiser with a knack for getting kicked out of his hometown bars, Dallas has wandered far and wide across this country and Europe and then returned like the prodigal son to his hometown of New Braunfels, Texas. Now the owner of the Redbird Listening Room and a devoted dad and husband, Dallas has traded crazy nights for morning cups of coffee. You can’t discuss Dallas and the reason behind the title of his new record without mentioning his father, Mike. If you’ve seen Dallas perform in the last couple of years, then you’ve likely seen his dad on stage with him or intently watching the set from the crowd. Armed with a cup of coffee, Mike makes the rounds pre-show, chatting with fans and checking in with those he’s already met on previous runs. At times he’ll jump on stage to sing a few songs with Dallas and the band, and inevitably, you’ll hear the story of Mike and Townes Van Zandt. It’s the kind of story that legends are made of, but this one happens to be true. The story goes, that in the 1970’s, after meeting Townes and friends at a bar that Mike and his siblings were operating, the group went on to a late night after party, and Mike became blood brothers with Townes on that fateful night. The rest they say, is history.
It’s Townes and another of Texas’ favorite sons, Willis Alan Ramsey, that became inspirations to Dallas., If you ask him who his favorite songwriter is, you’d be surprised to learn that it’s neither of these titans of Texas songwriting, but his dad, Mike, who never started a career in the music business. However, as a lifelong guitar picker and poet, he still made an enormous impact on his son. With all of that inspiration to draw from, Dallas has delivered another stellar album; this time produced by Jonathan Tyler.
You can’t accuse Burrow of making the same record over and over. Listening to his discography, each album is distinct, in sound, production and songwriting. Fan favorite, Southern Wind, with its raw and, at times, dark mood, was produced in East Nashville and features a collection of experienced Nashville musicians, including Sierra Ferrell before she became a staple of the Americana music industry. His self-titled album, a more personal collection of songs, produced by Bruce Robison, and now, Blood Brothers, which is a collection of songs about, “life, death, love, faith, youthful rebellion, finding acceptance, the state of the world, as well as the story of my father and his connection to Townes Van Zandt, and how that has helped shape my own musical journey, my dedication to family, and approach to life in general.”
Blood Brothers, made up of 12 originals and one cover, a nod to Townes Van Zant’s, “Mr. Mudd and Mr. Gold.” Blood Brothers is a glimpse into the people, places and things that are important to Burrow. Burrow draws from not only his past and the very core of what makes him who he is, but also what he’s currently experiencing. Whether it’s a love song to his wife, Stacy, in the track “Starry Eyes” or a commentary on the current political climate of this nation in “Out My Window,” Burrow has a way of presenting life in his own personal lens, in a way that’s relatable to the rest of us.
The title track, “Blood Brothers” is a personal favorite. I love a song with lots of pedal steel and “Blood Brothers” has that in spades. With an intro that sounds like it could have been pulled from one of the westerns of Hollywood’s golden age, you will find yourself immersed in the story of how Mike Burrow became blood brothers with Townes Van Zandt. It’s a song that Burrow and producer Jonathan Tyler collaborated on and executed to perfection. Listen for Tyler’s Telecaster within the track, adding in just the right amount of wild west to the song.
“Only Game in Town” is a co-write with Burrow’s friend, fellow musician and entertainer extraordinaire, Charley Crockett. Burrow and Crockett first met years ago at an open mic in California and have continued their friendship to this day. If you’re lucky, on occasion you can catch Dallas and his band opening for Charley Crockett out on the road. “Only Game in Town” is the second song these friends have written together. What started out as a basic chord structure and a few pieces of song via Charley, was finished by Burrow who wrote the remaining three verses of this gambling song.
Don’t miss “Motel 6,” which showcases Burrow’s baritone voice to perfection and features Cody Braun of Reckless Kelly on mandolin. The inclusion of the fiddle playing part of the Motel 6 theme in the song is one of the small details that makes this album seem more polished and put together than some of Burrow’s previous albums.
If you’re a fan of Texas songwriters, the greats like Townes or Billy Joe Shaver or Willis Alan Ramsey or the current talent like John Baumann or Jamie Lin Wilson, then you’re going to love this newest offering from Dallas Burrow. It’s a matter of time before he explodes on the scene like some of his friends and contemporaries and, honestly, I feel like it’s past due. Blood Brothers is the latest stop in a musical journey for Burrow and it’s a testament to amount of time he’s put into touring and working at his craft. Dallas has delivered an album not only worthy of your time and attention, but worth sharing with other music lovers. It’s time the world listens to what Dallas Burrow has to say.
Find out more about Dallas at the links below:
