Tom Russell is a national treasure, and an unsung hero, well comparatively, anyway. He has an erring knack for the noir. There is a touch of the pulp fiction detective in his persona, or maybe it is the hat. He lives in a literate world of words, which seem to ooze out of his pores. He continues to turn the bauble of the world over in his hands, looking at the soft white underbelly, the flashes of light, the perspectives that change when the perception shifts.

I am happy to report that Tom Russell has a new album out as of a week ago called Mesabi. It is named after the Minnesota iron range, where Bob Dylan, James Dean and Elizabeth Taylor are from. This is Tom’s 26th album, and he co-produced it with keyboardist Barry Walsh. And they traveled; it was recorded in studios ranging from Tucson, to Texas, to Nashville and Los Angeles. Russell invited friends in for this excursion; Lucinda Williams, Van Dyke Parks, Sir Douglas Quintet keyboardist Augie Meyers and the band Calexico, Tom collaborated with them on his last album, Blood and Candle Smoke, too.

Tom Russell goes on an extensive tour next week, and here’s hoping he will be in a town near you. Oh, did I tell you that he is also a painter, whose work can be found at the Yard Dog on South Congress in Austin. Why do I get the feeling that he never sleeps! Click here to listen to a “video” containing the audio for the title song, “Mesabi” which has a bit of his art for you to see...the album cover. And here is a video we found on the making of the new album

- Jessie Scott