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Miami Herald
June 14, 2002
Entertainment News & Views
by Lee Zimmerman
Troy Campbell's sultry, seductive songs were originally introduced to me
by my friend Barnes who lives up in Boston. Always an arbiter of
good taste, he never steered me wrong before, having brought me to
countless albums and artists I might never had heard of before, were it
not for his tasteful tips. Still, I had no idea what to expect
from American Breakdown, the second solo set from the former leader of
Austin alt-country combo Loose Diamonds. It a word, it's simply
superb.
While Campbell remains faithful to the roots rock formula, its the
emotion that he imparts that sets him apart. "The World Keeps on
Ending" is a heartbreaking tale of hardship and heartbreak that's both
convincing and compelling. The traditional sounding "Rosabelle"
tells a dual tale of a man going off to the dreariness of the mines and
his lover who lives with the uncertainty of the fate that awaits him.
"World of Tears" and "Sorrytown" are filled with reflection and
contemplation, soaked in the sadness conveyed in their titles.
Still, Campbell's not the type to be beaten down by circumstances.
"Sad Truth" "Blind" and Home After Dark" are rousing, resolute anthems
buffered with riveting arrangements that build to anthem-like
proportions. The sinewy rhythms surrounding Campbell's whispered
vocals in "Sleeping Without You" and the brooding atmospheric ambiance
flowing through "Pacific" further attest to Campbell's skills and
ability. For those reasons and many more, American Breakdown is
one of the better efforts to come along this year.
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