When people ask me what kind of music Early James plays, it’s hard to answer. Tom Waits mixed with Stevie Ray Vaughan? The soundtrack to a Quentin Tarantino film? Menacing Americana?
I asked James how he’d describe it, and he was just as stumped. “Well, it’s rock ‘n’ roll,” he offered, which it certainly is. He sometimes calls it “spookbilly” or “Americana Doom,” both fitting labels. There’s something ominous about his songs, but it wasn’t until I asked about his influences that things started to make sense.
James talked about the music his grandparents loved — big band and 1940s jazz — and what his parents played: outlaw country, classic rock like the Eagles, and folk singers like John Denver and James Taylor. When I asked specifically about guitar players, he mentioned Chet Atkins, Roy Clark, and Charlie Christian. That last name was the lightbulb moment. You can hear Christian’s big band swing in James’ playing, mixed with Atkins and Clark’s rockabilly. That’s the sound on tape.
Live, it’s something else entirely. His band brings in extended solos and odd riffs reminiscent of Led Zeppelin III, layering that sinister sound with foreboding, opaque lyrics. Early James has been playing full-time for a decade, but his songs feel timeless, like they’ve always existed. His modern spin on early-20th century styles creates something truly unique. Early James is a one of one.
He brought that one-of-a-kind mix to Spaceship Earth on Tuesday, April 8, in front of a packed house. Following an opening acoustic set by Burke Wallace — think Nick Drake by way of Dashboard Confessional —Early James took the stage with his trio: James on guitar, Ryan Brown on bass and Joey Rudisell on drums. The three were dialed, often stretching songs out with long, improvised sections that featured James’ fantastic work. The band changed tempos and styles mid-song, shifting seamlessly between cowpunk and straight 12 bar blues.
The influences he’d listed earlier were immediately clear. The opener, “I Got This Problem,” had a Jerry Reed-style rockabilly groove, while “What a Strange Time to Be Alive” featured Brian Setzer-esque swing guitar. James played a couple of what he jokingly called “love songs” — a harrowing, hard-charging version of Hank Williams’ “Hey Good Lookin’” and the Tom Waits-style fractured love song “Splenda Daddy.”
Standout moments included the extended guitar workouts on “Gone As a Ghost,” the swirling psychedelia of “Unspeakable Thing,” and the Zeppelin-flavored “Racing to a Red Light.” On record, his music leans rootsy and acoustic, but live, with just three musicians, James lets loose. His guitar playing becomes the centerpiece, blending Dick Dale surf tones with Ennio Morricone-style cinematic drama. He wrings sounds from every part of the instrument — tremolo bar, tuners, everything — giving his music that signature spooky edge. Many of his songs avoid resolution, hanging in the air like ghosts.
He closed the set with a fiery, heavy version of his best-known song, “It Doesn’t Matter Now,” then ended the night with “Dig to China,” complete with a searing slide guitar solo. The crowd erupted in applause shortly after the final notes — you always have to wait and make sure it’s over because he doesn’t resolve his songs.
James didn’t talk much between songs, but when he did, it was usually a deadpan joke: “Here’s a happy song called ‘I Could Just Die Right Now’” and “This next one will be in Tyler Perry’s Titanic 2.” Offstage, he’s shy and unassuming, but once the guitar is strapped on, he’s transformed — snarling lyrics and ripping through explosive runs. His songs, too, take on a new life in front of a crowd.
Concert promoter Jeremy Beaver tried to talk him into recording a live album at Spaceship Earth to capture that primal, raw sound. Early, if you’re reading this: Play more electric guitar on your records. James said he loved the venue and promised to come back soon. You won’t want to miss him next time.
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