JIM LAUDERDALE: “Pretty Close To The Truth” (Atlantic)

Jim Lauderdale first played in Ireland as part of a Warners package that did a showcase in Bad Bobs. He opened the show, and stole it, but as these things tend to happen, it was label-mates Little Texas, with their brand of bleached out radio soft-rock, who went on to have the hits on their home turf.

This lack of chart action led to frustration for both label and artist which resulted in his quitting the label. The following period saw him hone his already impressive song-writing skills. He was fortunate to have two of his songs (from his debut album) covered by George Strait on his Pure Country album – it ended up selling well over a million copies. This provided the financial breathing space for him to wait for the right deal, the right producer and for the players he wanted to work with to come together.

Pretty Close To The Truth is the end result and it more than justifies the wait. Already it has garnered high praise and some distinctly non-country comparisons. Musician magazine mentioned George Harrison and Lowell George, while People Weekly opted for Lennon and McCartney. Both publications think it’s a winner. Indeed People Weekly go as far as to say that it’s the best country album of the past two years. By way of contrast Billboard’s positive review was in its rock section.

The album opens with ‘This Is The Big Time’, a song which Lauderdale has been playing live for quite some time, which, despite its title, is about personal success rather than that of the fiscal variety. It’s powered by a driving guitar riff and some mighty steel motifs.

The songs here are all about the truth and reality of human relationships in all their vagaries, and are delivered with a directness that’s at the core of Jim Lauderdale’s appeal. The thoughtful lyrics have been matched by some suitably complex melodies. All of which makes you wonder just how will it fare for crucial radio inspection. I suspect it won’t pass their restrictive “eye-of-the-needle” values. And despite its rock references Pretty Close To The Truth may well, in the final analysis, be deemed “too country” for rock.

When I first listened to these songs I didn’t, as the phrase goes, “hear a single”. Yet having listened to it many times, I can’t imagine how anyone could ignore these songs, such is their lasting power and strength, making Pretty Close To The Truth definitively a record that should be heard as an album and not just a collection of singles.

Where Jim Lauderdale is standing at the moment he can see Nashville, and perhaps more clearly he can see Bakersfield. But he can also see as far as Texas and on a clear day his vision takes in London and Liverpool as well as Memphis, New York and LA – not to mention his native South Carolina.

If I were to say that he makes universal music, there might just be a touch of hyperbole – but it’d be pretty close to the truth nonetheless.

And that’s about as close as we’ll ever get.

• Stephen Rapid