Don't Look for a Heartache

Early in his career, Jimmie Dale Gilmore seemed to have a hard time deciding if he wanted to be a honky tonk man or a songwriting Zen Cowboy, and while most of his best albums (most notably the lovely After Awhile) have landed solidly in the latter category, his first two solo records made it clear he knew how to make with the West Texas dancehall sound when he needed to, and could do it up right. Don't Look for a Heartache was compiled from 1988's Fair and Square and 1989's Jimmie Dale Gilmore, both recorded for Hightone at the dawn of Gilmore's solo career when he was using his elliptical lyrical style and trademark wavering tenor in the service of neo-traditional Texas country sounds. While this set doesn't do much to improve on Gilmore's fine self-titled album, it is a more consistent and compelling listen than Fair and Square, and the folks who compiled this disc have managed to harvest most of the best moments from each album and assemble them in a form that serves the material well. (The remastering sounds swell, too, and an unreleased track from the Jimmie Dale Gilmore sessions has been added for good measure; "Rambling Man" falls well short of life-altering, but it's good swinging fun, with solid steel and fiddle work.) While completists and serious fans will want the two original albums, dabblers curious about Gilmore's early releases will be well served with Don't Look for a Heartache, which manages to be contemplative and good fun at the same time.