with Bonnie Whitmore
The famously political songwriter, James McMurtry, has been keeping a close eye on the troubled Trump administration from across the pond while touring overseas. A few years back, I put out a song called 'Cheney's Toy,' McMurtry explains. It was often misinterpreted due to a reference to an unknown soldier. People thought I was calling the soldier 'Cheney's Toy' when I actually was referring to then-President George W. Bush. It seemed to me that Cheney was the puppeteer in that administration, while Bush was the puppet, the toy. At several shows during my current tour of the UK and Europe, people have called out for me to sing,'Bannon's Toy.'Fans hoping for more sociopolitical commentary from the singular songwriter got a taste with his recent single Remembrance. (It's election time, but I couldn't get my head around modern politics, McMurtry says of the song. Perhaps history holds a lesson or two.) Meanwhile, the longtime Austin resident continues riding waves of universal acclaim for his latest offering Complicated Game. At a stage where most veteran musicians fall into a groove or rut, McMurtry continues to surprise, Texas Music magazine recently noted. [Complicated Game] is a collection of narratives as sharply observed as any from McMurtry, but with a contemplative depth that comes with maturity.Indeed, McMurtry's latest collection spotlights a craftsman in absolutely peak form as he turns from political toward personal (These Things I've Come to Know, You Got to Me). The lyrical theme is mostly about relationships, the longtime Austin resident says. It's also a little about the big old world verses the poor little farmer or fisherman. Either way, McMurtry spins his stories with a poet's pen (Long Island Sound) and a painter's precision (She Loves Me) throughout.Folks notice Complicated Game delivering McMurtry's trademark story songs time and again (Copper Canteen, Dea