Is there an Austin sound? Not really. But there is an Austin soul, as evidenced by these new album releases that are connected not only by geography, but by sounds of the heart, oblivious to prevailing trends.

"Midnight Pumpkin" (Antone's) Toni Price
Every Tuesday, Toni Price hosts the hootinest, hippiest happy hour party in the galaxy.
She's the queen of that Continental Club scene, with fans locking into rivet mode as Toni and her trio of acoustic guitar players roll out some wicked approximations of the blues.

Give Price and co-producer Derek O'Brien credit for realizing that the studio is a completely different playground on this, her fifth and best album for the Antone's imprint.

Even though she sometimes calls out the players' solos ("Casper!" "Champ Hood!") as if onstage, this album is notable for how different it sounds from Toni live, and not just because Larry Fulcher's bass warms these mashed potatoes like brown gravy. (It also doesn't hurt that James Burton, that's right, THE James Burton, sits in on guitar.)
The irresistible leadoff track, "Start of Something Good," wouldn't seem out of place on a Top 40 countdown (in a just world), and a steamy duet with Malford Milligan on Joe Tex's "I Want To Do Everything For You" sounds like it was recorded in Houston circa 1969.

Price collects songwriters like they were Beanie Babies with Dictaphones, and joining her old fave Gwil Owens on the shelf are Jerry Lynn Williams, Shelley King, Blaze Foley, JJ Cale, David Olney, Michael Keck and old-timey songsmiths Abel Baer and Harry Woods. From these writers comes an expansion of ideas and styles, and Toni absorbs them all, flitting with ease from the moonlight jazz of Baer's "Right Kind of Man" to the bluegrass of King's "Call of My Heart." Tying it all together is a voice that respects the song, never going for the showy when the sturdy will do.