Review: Kevin Welch’s “Dust Devil”

By Paul T. Mueller

Kevin Welch saves the best for last on his latest effort, Dust Devil. The closing track, which shares its title with the 10-song CD, is a masterpiece of subtle wordcraft. It is at once the first-person narrative of an atmospheric event (dust devils are mini-tornadoes often seen in Oklahoma, where Welch grew up) and a very human description of a restless and reckless life. ”I was a panhandle dancer, never knew where I belonged,” Welch sings in a voice that’s aged like good whiskey. “I’d show up in the summer, come the wintertime I’d be gone.” He sums it up at the end: “All I ever wanted was to settle on some hallowed ground. I’m an old dust devil, waitin’ on the wind to die down.” The wistful words are backed by restrained but beautiful instrumentation that includes guitar, banjo and French horn.

There’s plenty to like about the rest of the album as well. Opener “Blue Lonesome” features Old Testament imagery and a jazzy vibe; “Just Because It Was a Dream,” “The Girl in the Seashell,” “Dandelion Girl” and “True Morning” all look at lost love, from various angles; the narrator of “A Flower” is a teenage girl dealing with more hardship than she deserves, with more grace than might be expected. “Brother John” is a heartfelt lament for an old friend who came home broken from an unnamed battlefield, while John Hadley’s “High Heeled Shoes,” one of two covers, is the richly detailed story of a mysterious lady seemingly caught between two worlds.

Welch did a fine job producing the album, and he had plenty to work with aside from his own contributions. The cast of first-call players includes Glenn Worf on bass, Harry Stinson on drums, Kenny Vaughan on electric guitar, Matt Rollings on piano and organ, and Fats Kaplin on a variety of stringed instruments, plus accordion. Welch’s son Dustin Welch provides banjo, resonator guitar and backing vocals; other singers include daughter Savannah Welch, Eliza Gilkyson and Beth Hooker.

It’s been more than a quarter of a century since Welch’s “next big thing” days in Nashville, as the face of what the marketers dubbed “Western Beat.” Dust Devil, scheduled for release Oct. 15, needs no such label. It’s an excellent example of skilled songwriting brought to life by sensitive performers. Highly recommended.