Review of Jonathan Wilson’s Dixie Blur
By John Saeger
Jonathan Wilson’s body of work maintains a steady flow of unique phases. His latest album reflects his well-traveled career and tackles a new genre. Dixie Blur is entrenched in themes of restlessness and home. The LP is also a natural progression of the songwriter’s music that reflects its Nashville recording background. Dixie Blur is the artist’s fourth solo album and stands as a document of genuine Americana music.
Wilson manages a prolific portfolio as a producer, touring musician, and solo artist. As a producer he works with Father John Misty, Dawes, and Conor Oberst. The musician regularly plays with the esteemed Roger Water’s touring band. His own music’s affinity for the Laurel Canyon scene proves a natural fit for a “classic” sound that is present in his own solo recordings.
Wilson mostly stays within the same album template: a large number of extended ballads. Despite this defined style, none of his LPs are stuck in the same sound and have varied just enough to create a diverse group of albums. Each of his four records yield nuances that subtly act as a new canvas for his songs.
Rare Birds is a Classic Rock homage while Fanfare touches on a singer-songwriter template and Gentle Spirit roams the desert. Dixie Blur is rooted in traditional Country music. It is by no means an immersive exploration of the region below the Mason-Dixon Line, but a different outlet for the musician to expand his craft.
While well-traveled sidemen like Kenny Vaughan (Marty Stuart, Emmylou Harris) and Dennis Crouch (Sara Bareilles, Johnny Cash) contributed to Dixie Blur. Wilson himself played a myriad of instruments on the record, including bass, drums, guitar, mellotron, and slide guitar.
The overarching southern concept is carefully interwoven into the arrangements of the record. The titular concept is present, but not an overbearing aspect of Dixie Blur. Wilson’s 14 songs contain accessible themes that touch on potent stories. One of his most effective is “’69 Corvette,” a track about a vagabond family of musicians that ends with the bittersweet lyrics:
“Well it floats right by till one day
You’re looking at polaroids and grieving
So remember to tell ‘em you love ‘em every time”
Another track that is an homage to a different group of wanderers is “Pirate.” The ballad name drops Anne Bonny, Calico Jack, and asks the question “what good is a sailor without a skull and his crossbones?” Both songs fit in with the drifting and wistfulness that reoccur in Wilson’s songwriting.
The track “New Home” represents something of an outlier, particularly for a musician who is constantly on the road. The comforting song celebrates a friend’s new house and wishes for sunny days and good graces. For a songwriter whose work is constantly shifting, “New Home” is a surprising change to the LP’s spirit. After spending much of his career writing with Laurel Canyon in mind, Wilson is able to put down new roots in a different genre in a way that puts his listeners at ease.
Dixie Blur does not quite measure up to Wilson’s most recent (and best) record, Rare Birds. The album is not varied with pace-changing songs like his previous top records, but Wilson does succeed in creating another stellar batch of songs. The LP’s southern feel is a welcome addition to his discography and is built to soundtrack a relaxing night on a sweltering summer porch with magnolia trees in the distance.
About the Author: John Saeger is a music and film writer from Philadelphia. He has written the pop-culture blog Long After Dark, a site dedicated to the arts in the City of Brotherly Love and beyond, since 2017. Twitter Facebook Instagram
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