Kris Kristofferson
Kris Kristofferson
Live From Austin TX
(New West)
Drafted from a full “Austin City Limits” concert that was edited into a half-hour TV program in 1981, Live From Austin TX compiles mainly unreleased performances.
While the songs comprising Live From Austin TX were recorded well after Kris Kristofferson was a name, they still bear the mark of an underdog. Scratching out the set like he’s stenographing his mood, other people’s hits (“Me And Bobby McGee,” “Help Me Make It Through The Night,” “Loving Her Was Easier,” and “Sunday Mornin’ Comin’ Down”) never before sounded so much like their author. He’s bawdy (“You Show Me Yours”), penitent (“Why Me”), and Dylanesque (“The Pilgrim”). He’s also out of Johnny, Waylon, Willie, and Barbara’s shadow.
— Steve Forstneger
