Austin singer-songwriter connects with Kessler crowd in both English and Spanish

By Darryl Smyers, Special Contributor

Performing before a packed crowd in the extremely cozy confines of the lobby of the Kessler Theater, Austin's Carrie Rodriguez put on a fascinating and bilingual display of folk, country and Latino-flavored soft rock.

Even though Rodriguez has the following necessary to play bigger venues, the lobby of the Kessler proved to be the ideal setting for the singer's touching tales of love and loss.

"I like playing this room because I can see all of your faces," Rodriguez said before launching into the terrific "La Última Vez." Like most of the songs from the recently released Lola, "La Última Vez" alternates lines in English and Spanish, creating a tense dynamic that serves the songs' dark tones of ultimatum and vulnerability.

Most of the songs were autobiographical in nature as Rodriguez talked about her upbringing in one of the wealthier areas of Austin. Indeed, songs like "The West Side" and "Llano Estacado" delved into the pros and cons of growing up in a nice neighborhood while watching people with one's same cultural heritage suffer indignation.

Yet while her songs may have dark elements, Rodriguez adds a humorous touch to help lighten the mood if not the overall effect of songs such as "Noche De Ronda" and "Frío en el Alma." On the former, Rodriguez's impressive vocals and violin playing gave the number a cabaret flair, while the latter demonstrated the singer's strong roots in classic Norteño and Ranchera music.

Rodriguez' current backing band, the Sacred Hearts, consists of drummer Brannen Temple and guitarist Luke Jacobs. Jacobs also happens to be Rodriguez's husband and father of the singer's newborn baby.

Rodriguez talked about how making her recent album was on a deadline seeing that a baby was imminent. Jacobs then deadpanned, "This is what a date night for us looks like now."

Jacobs took the lead on a couple of numbers, delivering the alt-country goods on "Church Bells" and the especially hard-charging "I'd Do it Again." Throughout the evening, Jacobs' slide guitar work added needed bluster to Rodriguez's soft spoken narratives. Oftentimes, his playing was almost ambient as the trio settled in on a groove that sounded like Brian Eno producing Merle Haggard. It was a bold and innovative blend that could prove fruitful in any future recordings.

By the end of the evening, it was obvious that Rodriguez is a star waiting to be discovered. Her songwriting is on par with the best in the industry and her vocal and instrumental abilities are beyond reproach. Channeling Van Morrison and Freddy Fender is not an easy task, but Rodriguez writes and performs songs that transcend easy classification.

Certainly there were those in attendance Wednesday night who didn't understand Spanish, yet who still seemed to feel the power of language used in the service of emotion. Those walking out of the Kessler had the look of students who had just learned something worth learning.

Darryl Smyers is a Dallas freelance writer.