(Catawba City)

www.billnoonanband.com

There's no shortage of alt-country posers these days, given that the genre has become such a popular nesting ground for anyone with rootsy leanings and a Southern sensibility.  Happily then, Bill Noonan finds a comfortable fit, due in part to the fact he's already so seasoned.  Prior to going solo in 2006, he led an outfit called the Rank Outsiders, which managed to carve out a sizeable local following in their native North Carolina before relocating to Nashville, where the band networked their wares more extensively.  The lessons learned impacted Noonan's solo debut, Catawba City, proving he was well-versed in the ways of Americana and able to continue to do what he had always done best, namely, to procure his down home delivery without pomp or pretense.

For some, Noonan's sophomore set, ironically titled The Man That I Can't Be, may seem as though its mining well-trod terrain, even though the majority of the songs are originals and exceedingly well crafted.  So if in fact he stays within specific parameters - a compelling cover of Gene Clark's classic "Tried So Hard" is not only an apt choice, but a proviso that assures a fine foundation - Noonan applies such earnest conviction to his material that his authenticity is never called into question.  He plies honkytonk ("Down Again"), Rockabilly ("Road 99"), populist folk ("Rambin' Boy Blues") and enough down home sentiment ("Dirty Ragged Blanket," "The Man That I Can't Be," "Southern Song") to assuage the country crowd and possibly even lure some new admirers along the way.  Granted, Noonan may not offer anything especially new along the way, but that familiarity doesn't negate a favorable impression.

Standout Tracks: "Tried So Hard," "Dirty Ragged Blanket," "The Man That I Can't Be" LEE ZIMMERMAN