McDermott was hailed as the "next Bob Dylan" when his album hit the charts. His music definitely has that same folk rock feel as Dylan, and he plays a mean harmonica, but McDermott's voice is light-years better than Dylan's ever was. Stephen King himself was a fan, writing, "Not since I first heard Bruce Springsteen singing 'Rosalita' had I heard someone who excited me so much as a listener, who turned my dials so high, who just made me feel so (expletive) happy to have ears."*
He's not kidding. This is a great album. Every song tells a story, and every tune is appealing. The music encompasses folk, rock, blues, and country, all played with confidence and assurance. The sad thing is, McDermott threw away a promising career by succumbing to the rock lifestyle of booze and drugs. By his own admission, "By the time I was 24, I was over.*
But along the way, he got married and had a kid, kicked his cocaine habit and backed off on his drinking, and he's back to making music, which includes playing live and reprising the songs from his debut album. I saw McDermott play live at The Blue Note in Columbia. There weren't many in the club that night, so I stood next to the stage for most of the show. I've been a fan ever since, and the album is another of my go-to discs for when I write fiction. His storytelling inspires my own.
Here's his 2011 live performance of the opening track (and biggest hit) from the album, "A Wall I Must Climb." I still get excited when I hear those snare beats that kick off the song.
* quotes taken from a Chicago Tribune article by Mark Caro
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