Chris Stamey

As one of the true unsung heroes of American alt-rock, dating back to the formation of the dB's in 1978, Stamey's fingerprints can be found on the catalogues of Big Star, R.E.M., Ryan Adams and countless others. Last year's dB's reunion brought some long-overdue recognition, which will surely carry on with Lovesick Blues, the North Carolina native's first solo effort since his 2005 collaboration with Yo La Tengo, A Question of Temperature. Although Lovesick Blues's title track isn't the song Hank Williams made famous, it's an apt reference point for an album that's a convergence of all of the sonic trails Stamey has followed throughout his career. Above all, Lovesick Blues properly showcases Stamey as a confessional singer-songwriter for the first time. Combined with his brilliant orchestrations on much of the album, especially "Anyway" and "I Wrote This Song For You," Stamey has finally matched the scarred beauty of Big Star's 3rd and Chris Bell's I Am The Cosmos — albums that provided his original blueprint back in the mid-'70s. With Big Star now put to rest following the passing of Alex Chilton, Stamey is the rightful person to fill his shoes. Lovesick Blues offers more than enough proof that he's fully prepared to do just that.