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Lowlights, "S/T"
"Punk rocker gives it all up to make country rock" is not a story you'dexpect to hear, as more country stars venture out into pop territorythan the other way around. But that's exactly what Dameon Lee has donein his time outside the punk band he formed and left in 1999, Scared ofChaka. Holed up in Humboldt County, CA, Lee decided it was time to makemusic of his own, and for this he drew on childhood experiences, whenhe lived in rural New Mexico far from the nearest record store. Backthen he dove into his parents' record collection, absorbing anything hecould get his ears on. When he finally sat down to make music again,it's no surprise it takes on some of the qualities of the songs andartists he loves so much. Lowlightsis the culmination of all that Lee has heard and experienced, and it'sa fine debut record. With Dustin Reske behind the boards and playingmyriad instruments, Lowlights becomes a sparse but expansive-soundingband with true country leanings, complete with pedal steel, Rhodespiano, and tons of slide guitar. Lee has one of those voices: smoothbut a little gritty, soft, slightly whispered, but never off-key. Hissongs come from many different places, mostly from heartbreak, and areslower in tempo and flavored with characteristics of other bands, froma guitar sound to a vocal performance. At times, it sounds like songsso familiar, mostly because all of Lowlights tends to sound thesame on repeated listens. Lee keeps it all fresh, though, withstraighforward lyrics that touch the heart and the soul. This is theperfect summer porch record to be enjoyed while sitting on the porch orfront stoop in the heat of night, drinking some lemonade or whiskey,waiting for the sun to set. They say the best records fit the mostmundane of situations, and if that's true, Dameon Lee has a long careerahead of him with Lowlights.
