Amy Farris

Amy Farris

Anyway (Yep Roc) Many, many moons ago, Jean Caffeine's All-Nite Truckstop was as prevalent as cheap beer in long-lost local venues like the Austin Outhouse. Caffeine had a knack for surrounding herself with talented musicians who shared her love of Eighties L.A. roots-punk. One of the best was a fiddle player named Amy Farris. That rarest of breeds, an Austin native (now living in L.A.), the classically trained Farris honed that potential with Alejandro Escovedo, Kelly Willis, Bruce Robison, and Ray Price, and it now finds full realization on her solo debut. And how. With Blasters hero Dave Alvin on production, guitar, and even co-writing, Farris predictably and delightfully explores typical Alvin themes: loneliness, isolation, and late-night, long-distance drives across America. Most impressive is her diversity; rather than chain herself to a cohesive sound, she explores her muse any way she sees fit. "Anyway" and "No Exit" have a KGSR-ready polish, but she also detours into a Reinhardt-Grapelli jazz ("Undecided"), shows her Texas honky-tonk birthright on "Pretty Dresses," and breaks from the gloom with a whimsical "No Exit," written on a sleepless night of Sartre and cable TV. Her voice is a pleasant surprise for a "sideman," and while limited in range, its beauty more than compensates. Good musicians have sought Farris' talents for over a decade. One suspects they'll be asking what they can do for her now. (Amy Farris plays the Cactus Cafe Monday, May 17.)