CHRIS MEEHAN: “How About Me?” (Round Stone)

CHRIS MEEHAN has been in more honky tonks, cantinas and dives than you could shake a stick at, and through (or perhaps despite) it all, has come up smiling each and every time.

Strange to relate that notwithstanding his long and distinguished involvement in the music scene, this is his debut album, one up side is that it was well worth the wait.

How About Me? is music with a smile on its face, drawing its inspiration from sources as diverse as Irving Berlin, John Prine, J.D. Souther, and there’s even songs by Meehan himself. Lovingly crafted and featuring some of the most sparkling music this side of Hades, it bristles with life particularly on tracks like ‘Georgie Lou’ and ‘Cajun Stripper’ with Downs Thompson’s fiddle work being worthy of particular mention on both ends.

I enjoyed too his version of John Prine’s ‘Souvenirs’, cast in quite a different form from the original. Prine himself makes an appearance on Chris’ own ‘Change Of Heart’, complementing but never overshadowing Meehan’s vocals.

With this album Chris Meehan has made one of the broadest musical statements of recent times, the common thread being its sense of fun and enjoyment, which transmits itself to the listener from the opening notes of the first track.

Now Chris, when you gonna record the follow-up?!?

• Oliver P. Sweeney