Darryl Lee Rush

Llano Avenue, written and performed by Dallas resident Darryl Lee Rush, is the least hip country effort you are likely to stumble across this year. Starkly produced and raggedly played songs like "Truale" and "Miles to Memphis" mix humor and misfortune with nods to roots mavericks Terry Allen and Billy Joe Shaver. On the sturdy title cut, Rush sings about living in "that same old place right across from Tietze Park" and then delivers his best line, "If you didn't have that caller ID / well, I swear I'd give you a call" with the kind of deadpan humor that often masks genuine sorrow. Such a solid country/folk throwback doesn't show up here often enough, especially from a local.