Kimberly Dunn: “Forever on the Run”

San Antonio-native Kimberly Dunn made her first splash on the Texas country scene with a little single called “Randy Rogers,” an imminently relatable tune about a young woman trying to gear herself up for some much-needed “honky-tonk time” with her girlfriends in spite of knowing that every song she hears by the likes of Rogers or the Eli Young Band only triggers painful memories of a former flame. The song was featured on one of the handful of EPs that the former Aggie Marching Band sax player released digitally and sold from the stage over the last couple of years, all leading up to the release of this, her full- length debut. Recorded at Ray Benson’s Bismeaux studio in Austin, Forever on the Run is a fantastically put-together record that features an almost unfair amount of stellar studio and co-writing help, including the likes and Drew Womack and Dave Grissom — but this isn’t Dunn’s first rodeo and she brings plenty to the table herself. Her delicate but assured vocals are spot-on throughout, often reminiscent of Miranda Lambert in her more subtle moments. And as demonstrated on “Randy Rogers” and several other tunes here, there’s a poignancy and depth to her songwriting that proves she’s more than just the name dropper some cynics pegged her as early on. “The Road” features a tender fiddle which ribbons its way through a folk-style encouragement to a friend (or perhaps to Dunn herself) needing to move forward in their/her life, while the title track is propelled by a galloping rhythm and Dunn’s fiercest vocal as she sings about “two rebel hearts on the run.” Dunn’s own run may still be in its early stages, but she’s off to a great start. — KELLY DEARMORE