Anders Parker

iTunes Review

Anders Parker is a songwriter’s songwriter. There’s a reason that other heavyweights, Steve Earle to Jay Farrar, choose to work with him: Parker writes from a pure, heartfelt perspective and sings with an unpretentious, roadworn beauty. Like an old comfortable pair of jeans, he fits in all the right places. After years of recording with his group Varnaline, Parker went officially solo. This self-titled third album was recorded in three days with an illustrious cast: Wilco drummer Ken Coomer, Son Volt pedal steel player Eric Heywood, Warren Zevon bassist Jennifer Condos and Dumptruck guitarist Kirk Swan. The small band ensemble plays perfectly into Parker’s country-inflected drawl and the synergy is smart and natural. Whether he’s reflecting on the political landscape and its culture of mis-truths (“False Positive”) or reflecting on the little things in life that make a home (“Airport Road,” “Under Wide Unbroken Skies”), Parker does so without overstaying his welcome. Much like fellow troubadour Richard Buckner, Parker finds solace in the feeling of motion as he centers on a few key chords.