A veteran of studio and roadwork with the likes of Jackson Browne, Havana 3 AM (short-lived group with Steve Jones and Paul Simonon), Brian Wilson, and John Waite, guitarist and songwriter Gary Myrick's solo career looked ready to take off with Waltz of the Scarecrow King. Combining expertly played acoustic guitars with tasteful string arrangements, Myrick created a unique folk hybrid. His Texas roots show influences of Joe Ely, Ramblin' Jack Elliot, Jimmy Dale Gilmore, and any number of cowboy singers. Exploring themes of isolation, betrayal, religion, and the tests heaped upon personal conviction, Myrick's approach is refreshing. "Haunting of White Rock Lake" is infused with chilling Middle-Eastern flavored bottleneck slide, and the cautionary tale of "Fame Is Dangerous" seems a subject very close to Myrick, though who it is specifically directed at is a mystery. So much of Waltz of the Scarecrow King is enshrouded in mystery, making each listen all the more satisfying. There are layers here one will never uncover. -- John Duffy (allmusic.com)