It"s the songwriting of Damon Bramblett that separates him from the dozens of Austin-based country musicians playing today. On his self-titled debut+ Bramblett meditates on the usual subjects (heartbreak+ lost loves+ rural America) but gives them twists: he gives a noirish edge to "Waiting for the Mail+" he"s got an appropriately titled number called "Nobody Wants to Go to the Moon Anymore+" and "Champaign+ IL" is slow and jazzy. Lloyd Maines"s minimal production doesn"t embellish these tunes so much as let the great songwriting come to the fore. And Bramblett shines+ especially on the tunes that sound honky-tonk ready+ "Heaven Bound" and "Today I Started Drinking Again." Don"t be mistaken: this isn"t alt-country so much as a throwback to good country+ the kind of solid writing that existed before the sheen of Nashville and the punk hooks of the Wilco generation stole the C&W stage. If Bramblett doesn"t sing a hit tune soon+ he"ll probably pen one for someone else. <I>--Jason Verlinde</I>