Record Review - 1 January 08 2004

The country music business gives a lot of well-deserved props to its songwriters, and Darrell Scott is one of the best by all accounts. With hit songs written for the Dixie Chicks, Garth Brooks, Travis Tritt and Patty Loveless, Scott is a hot commodity in Music City.

But it wasn’t that way 12 years ago, when he came to town and recorded his first solo album, only to have it shelved by his label. However, now that he has enough credibility (and money) to create his own record label, Scott has rerecorded that first album in its entirety. And it is apparent why the suits turned down Theater Of The Unheard.

It wasn’t because of the quality of the music. The album was just too unique for its own good. Virtually unclassifiable, the songs on Theater bounce all over the map: from the twang of “Uncle Lloyd” through the New Joisy rawk riffs of “Full Light” to the airy instrumental “Alton Air.”

In spite of the extreme musical variations, it is all held together by Scott’s insightful words. Lyrically, Scott has always been a great storyteller, and, on Theater, his depictions of the dark and lonely side of life hit the nerve just about every time. Tales of love, loss, longing and shattered lives permeate the record, and Scott sings each word like he personally knows each emotion.

With musical support from Danny Thompson on bass, Kenny Malone on drums and Dan Dugmore on steel guitar, Scott has proven that Nashville ain’t always right.

But we knew that already, didn’t we?

Darrell Scott plays Eddie’s Attic Fri., Jan. 9. $15.