James Sasser always seemed to transcend the typical country stereotype. There are no pickup trucks here; there are, however, plenty of broken hearts. What sets Sasser apart, as far as my limited experience with country music can tell, is that Sasser doesn’t write country songs. He writes your standard rock tune but puts it to a country sound.

Dip Your Beak, then, follows along the lines of prior releases The Melcliff and Southside Of Sorrow. Songs like “Lonesome Eyes” and “I Don’t Want It Told” include that southern swagger, while tracks like “Beautiful” find Sasser dropping in rock-based riffs and, perhaps most surprisingly, harmony vocals.

What isn’t surprising is that Sasser continues to make country music fit for the non-country fan. His drawl backed by the occasional hand-clap and highly distorted guitar riffs in “If You Think You’re Mine” are telltale signs that Sasser is in rare territory. This style has grown from the early days, and it continues, progressively, with Dip Your Beak.

James Sasser: Lonesome Eyes [mp3]

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James Sasser: In Deep [mp3]

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[CD, 2009]

1. Lonesome Eyes
2. I Don’t Want It Told
3. In Deep
4. Beautiful
5. If You Think You’re Mine
6. Don’t Tie Me Down
7. Taking My Time