Austin, Texas, singer and songwriter, Mike Runnels, is back with a new album, Don’t Tell Candy. Out on Lucky Penny Records, it’s a continuing nod to a guy who’s finally grabbing overdue attention.

Now with this, his third country album, the former vocalist of Texas punk rockers, The Reactors, is finding direction. Revolving around the varied talents of Ron Flynt – he plays guitar, bass, piano, organ, and, in a lazy moment, offers background harmony –the rest of the ensemble is Nick Wells on drums, the versatile Herb Steiner on pedal steel and Andrew Nafziger on guitars. Chip Dolann on accordion, Floyd Domino on piano and Scott Blesener on violin make brief but meaningful appearances. 

It needs early mention: Runnels is an acquired listen. His vocals won’t shatter glass, but they won’t flatten beer, either. For this mystery cowboy (trying to find a photo is harder than saving a little from last week’s pay) aches over misery, laments in the sadness of his surroundings and situations, and he does it all with a real honky tonk branding. This is a guy who wears his heart on his cowboy shirt, right next to the beer stains picked up from leaning a little too long at the corner bar.

Standouts among the 10 tracks include “Honky Tonk Lie” (do I hear shades of Jimmy Dale Gilmore?), the accordion-laced “Dream Girl,” and the two-steppin’ ”Taking My Promises Back” and “Crimes Of The Heart”.