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Xentel		.	Sons of the Desert
			Powering out of Texas, Sons of the Desert come fully armed, arriving on the scene with songs, musicianship and singing of a remarkably high caliber — theirs is a singularly assured debut. From heartfelt ballads like "Colorado" and "Promises" to such up-tempo gems as "Whatever Comes First" and "Hand of Fate," this is country music of universal appeal. Says lead singer Drew Womack of their self-titled maiden release: "We're loving the album at this point. We've just accomplished a goal we strived for all our lives. And we're ready for the next stage." Adds bassist Doug Virden: "Our luck has just been so great. We got signed in just the way we wanted. We got to play on the album — which is often unheard of. We were given so much freedom to play exactly the way we wanted." Proof of their faith management and record company placed in the quintet, Sons of the Desert is on of the most exciting new country albums in years, its 12 songs testifying to the power of the group's collective spirit. Like classic outfits from the Buckaroos to the Beatles, these musicians are above all a band — a sum even stronger than their admittedly impressive parts. Penning much of the material, irresistible in melody and generous in emotional scope, Drew Womack on acoustic guitar and vocals invites the listener in. His is the kind of voice that's instantly memorable — like all great singers regardless of genre, he embodies sheer soul. On Stratocaster, Telecaster and Tom Anderson guitars, Drew's older brother Tim adds muscle, fire and grace; Virden's bass provides the steadiest of foundations ("I like to keep things as simple as possible: tasteful," he says); keyboardist Scott Saunders may be the band's secret weapon — his piano and organ embellishments elevate the songs to majesty; and Brian Westrum not only keeps the backbeat steady but lends percussive finesse — cymbal grace notes on the ballads, subtle propulsion on the rocking tunes and but he also adds seamless backing harmonies. With the Womack brothers hailing from Brownwood, population 15,000 ("Remember those Old West movies?" Drew says, "It was like that — a good town to come from") and Doug, another scion of the Lone Star state and sole survivor of the band's first line-up, Sons of the Desert began in Waco, Texas. And they've come a long way since then. "The band has evolved so much," says Virden. "When we started, we were more bluegrass oriented" (Bluegrass meets thrash," Drew chuckles). Drew joined in 1990; three years later Dallas became the new home for Sons of the Desert, at last boasting the older Womack (veteran of blues-based bands), Westrum (a Minnesotan whose resume included a stint with a polka outfit!), and Scott Saunders. Scott recalls his original impression ("I first saw them in a battle of the bands. I was in another band competing against them. They came on before us — and I knew we were dead. They're by far the best band I've ever been in."). With the five friends' diverse tastes ranging from Trisha Yearwood and theEagles to Jackson Browned and Diamond Rio, Sons of the Desert honed their skills in dance halls and night clubs, playing great music from Vince Gill to Elton John ("We gravitated toward anything progressive, " Drew says). It makes sense, then, that when it came to penning originals and selecting songs for their album, they'd craft a style that incorporated the best of all styles. Sons of the Desert, recorded in Nashville and helmed by ace producers Doug Johnson (Ty Herndon, Rick Trevino) and Johnny Slate (Joe Diffie), offers potential classics from tried and true songsmiths (among them, Radney Foster, Phil Vassar and Charlie Black). And it signals the arrival of a true songwriting talent: Drew Womack. Whether working solo or in company with expert partners (including Tom Douglas, Pat McDonald, Steve Pippen and others), Drew has already mastered the essentials of the art-music that grips the listener and won't let go; lyrics that touch the soul. The autumn leaves, they rush outside my window, like they've got something so important to do/Sarah will come by now in a minute/She likes her third grade teacher who looks so much like you.' So begins "Leaving October Behind," just one of the breathtaking ballads on the album — and it typifies the care for real-world detail, the sense of genuine experience that distinguishes this band's material. Stories in song, Sons of the Desert conveys in depth the ways of the heart ('You promised me honesty and your word was good/And you came through on everything you said you would/You gave your heart, you gave your all and nothing less/And all you kept were your promises,' "Promises"). There's wry observation here ('Johnny Walker's on the table, he tends to soothe since you're unable day after day after day/Johnny's walking all over me, slowly gaining control of my destiny,' "Burned In My Mind"), and confessions, too, of hard-won truths ('Looking for the quick fix, the short-term loan/Gotta run because you might not be here long enough to own/The way I see it, the trouble with the world these days/It's getting way too easy just to drive away,' "Drive Away"). And yet that's just one side of Sons of the Desert. They also deliver full-out, guitar-driven road music — perfect for getting the adrenaline pumping. Check the high-octane take on the Monkees' "Last Train To Clarksville," fasten your seat belt for the power surge of "Whatever Comes First." When they rock, they mean it. Emphatically, what always comes first for Sons of the Desert is the music. They've paid their dues in honky tonks and the endless club circuit (they traveled for a two-year period in a $3500 1972 Dodge Apollo RV. Right after leaving the showroom floor, it had caught fire, and hadn't been driven until the band bought it. It served them well despite lights failing on the highway, sparks occasionally flying and the band's suspicion, Saunders says, that there might've been "demons on board!") And they're fired up now for further touring adventures. Drew will continue the discipline of writing stellar songs ("I get my best melodies just driving in the car with no noise and no one around"). And the band will persevere in making music to delight and inspire the widest conceivable audience. "To me," Drew says, "Country's a state of mind. We came from small towns, we grew up in dance halls with good two-step music." Sons of the Desert then, remain true to their origins — and yet their songs, as big-hearted as Texas and beyond, reach out to everyone.

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