music

Tom Wurth

If the Road Runs Out

If the Road Runs Out is actually a reworking of Iowa native Tom Wurth’s self-titled 2006 debut, with songs added, dropped and shuffled around to produce what is an allover stronger and more focused collection. Among the new tracks is “Almost Died Today,” an autobiographical ballad that addresses Tom’s history of having endured three near-fatal car crashes since his teenage years. It’s a fine song, but Tom actually shines brightest on more up-tempo tunes like “Bread on the Table” and “Good Ground”—songs that also happen to address serious issues, albeit in a less direct fashion.

• November 2, 2009
• by Chris Neal