Texas Headhunters: Johnny Moeller / Jesse Dayton / Ian Moore

Texas Headhunters

Hardcharger / Blue Elan Records

Whoever thought of uniting singer/songwriter/guitarists Johnny Moeller, Jesse Dayton, and Ian Moore as the Texas Headhunters set in motion the honing of blades that sliced off 12 ragged but dazzling new trophies. Cut live in five days at Willie Nelson’s Pedernales Studio, the songs on the Texas Headhunters’ self-titled debut album are soaked in sweat, grime, glory, and no small measure of ear candy expertise. The celebrated trio are backed by the rhythm locomotion of bassist Anthony Farrell and either Jay Moeller or Nico Leophonte on drums. Altogether, they mesh divergent personalities into one well-oiled, cohesive machine.

Ian Moore tore it up as lead guitarist in Joe Ely’s roadhouse rock band in 1992 and cut his own first album the following year that featured a fierce melding of Lone Star blues and what seemed to be—perhaps given Ely’s country influence—southern rock. Moore’s vision and delivery have expanded greatly since, but an update of his initial formula rocket fuels “Pocket,” the opening salvo on Texas Headhunters. Sexual innuendo with washes of Stones swagger and drips of garage punk all set a seductive tone for the ensuing 40 minutes. On “Maggie Went Back to Mineola,” Jesse Dayton commands attention, sawing on guitar and snarling through a sordid tale of a wayward child on a journey to nowhere. The raunchiness of that one would not have been out of place on Dayton’s acclaimed The Hard Way Blues album from last year. Johnny Moeller then steps up and gets down on “Everybody Loves You When You’re Down,” a song not far off the mark of the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Moeller’s longtime main gig. During it, he rips a pointed, emotional solo that will prick the ears of anyone deep into players from Freddie King to Jimmie Vaughan.

Such is the M.O. of the Texas Headhunters, reaching back and launching forward, honoring a variety of Texas trailblazers while blazing their own way in rousing style. Take “Kathleen,” in which Moore pleads with clench-fisted soul for his woman not to flaunt her lewd dalliances. His brilliant vocal performance over the band’s heavy-duty pulses calls to mind the Arc Angels.

Each Headhunter contributed songs with varied tempos and concise, striking turns of phrase, their creativity sequenced to provide riveting ups and downs. Lightening the load, Moeller chimes in with “Fool Don’t Play with Fire,” a rhythmically snappy tune showcasing the band having a natural ball, the three guitarists trading quick, cool, but nonetheless fiery licks.

Jesse Dayton, Johnny Moeller, and Ian Moore have been immersed in Texas blues and blues-rock traditions since their auspicious beginnings around the same time three and a half decades ago, although Dayton initially came blasting out of the gates a Nudie-suited country-rocker. In combining their vast capabilities, these Texas Headhunters have churned out one very cool rocking record laden with raw, lighthearted fun.

Tom Clarke for MAS

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