ONE MAN BAND

Singer-songwriter John Krueger has a new online-only album, One Man Rodeo Pt 1 , available for download at his Web site, johnkrueger.com.

The product of an unusually literate songwriter with an innate ability to construct smart songs, Rodeo drops much of the British Invasion pop that defined Mr. Krueger's earlier work, opting instead for country-tinged tunes. Think less Ray Davies, more Gram Parsons.

The songs are catchy and packed with complex lyrical metaphor and honest emotion. That's the good news.

The bad news is, he still seems stumped by a few issues that have long bedeviled him.

Mr. Krueger writes tunes that work best in a band environment. Although recorded with bass, drum, harmonica and some pedal steel, there's never any real sense that there's a band at work.

It feels like a studio project, a solo artist augmenting his acoustic tunes. He needs a band to better bring these songs to life.

Mr. Krueger also has a tendency to occasionally back away from the song, to under-sing. There's a tradition of bashful boy singers, but Mr. Krueger's tunes don't require that kind of delivery and deserve better.

That being said, there are a few tunes, most notably the title track and Australia , that work exceedingly well.

Every artist true to his craft will readily admit that the creative impulse is a process of evolution. John Krueger is evolving, getting better, getting stronger. I can hardly wait to see what comes next.

HOLLYWOOD HOMER

Chris Henchy, the former Augusta guy who drew sketchy reviews and receipts for Land of the Lost (he wrote it), has another comedy out this weekend. The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard, which he produced, opens Friday. The movie stars Jeremy Piven as a journeyman car salesman with a gift for getting customers behind the wheel. Here's hoping Mr. Henchy's used-car comedy, opening at an opportune Cash for Clunkers moment, fares better than his dinosaurs.

COREY A SELLOUT

When tickets ran out for the Corey Smith show Saturday, organizers dipped into the unclaimed reserve of comp seats and sold 50 at full price. When those were gone, they went to the Sharpie-on-the-hand technique. It doesn't take much of a mathematician to calculate that the Jessye Norman Amphitheater show sold out in a big way.

What exactly does that mean?

It proves, once again, that despite rumors to the contrary, Augusta is a music town.

It also again proves that the amphitheater is a viable venue.

There were several things working in this show's favor. The weather cooperated beautifully. Corey Smith, despite my objections, is a proven pleaser capable of mobilizing his fans. Promotion was handled well.

That does not mean Augusta is going to get those marquee acts that music fans have spent the past 15 years clamoring for. It does mean, however, that we are headed in the right direction.

More success stories like this and Augusta might no longer be the burg avoided by bands and the amphitheater might well rock.

Reach Steven Uhles at (706) 823-3626 or steven.uhles@augustachronicle.com.