John Statz

John Statz drives a well-worn alt-country vehicle, navigating the dusty trails of 2010’s Ghost Townsand its emotionally burdened tracks like “The Wichita Waltz” with his nasal, slightly twangy, instantly familiar voice. For his first full-band release, Statz recruited a countrified Madison all-star team including Blueheels drummer Adam Cargin, Jeremiah Nelson, and Whitney Mann to help him craft an album inspired by war-torn Balkan towns and crippled American cities. Not surprisingly, the album can occasionally become bogged down under such weighty source material, but dense arrangements and ramshackle jalopies like “Disclaimer” make riding through a demilitarized zone in an old junker sound surprisingly comforting. Statz stays in the heartland on his brand-new record, Old Fashioned, with help from Nelson and acclaimed producer Bo Ramsey. 

Updated 08/01/2012