Maggie Walters

Although it didn’t make her a breakout star, the self-titled 2004 debut by Maggie Walters scored exceedingly well with critics and DJs on the Austin scene. The rapturous praise was merited, too; eschewing the typical rootsy acoustic approach for a more sultry pop vibe, Walters evoked the best qualities of fellow Austin transplants Abra Moore and Patty Griffin, while firmly establishing her own voice as a sophisticated singer-songwriter worth paying attention to. Those who did will find further validation in her sophomore outing, Midwestern Hurricane, albeit with a catch. Exquisitely produced by Butthole Surfer Paul Leary and bolstered by many of Austin’s finest players, it’s a beautiful listen — and damn sexy, too, from the seductive openers “Under the Table” and “Girls Like Us” to the closing cover of J.J. Cale’s “You Got Something.” Here’s the rub, though, and it’s maddening: four of the 10 songs here are re-recorded repeats from the first album. Granted, reprising a tune here or there across a catalog isn’t unheard of, and songs as good as “Fingerprints” will always hold up, but to find such a promising young artist revisiting so many tunes so quickly feels like wasted real estate at best, and a cheat at worst. It’s like seeing a much-anticipated movie and realizing all the best bits were already shown in the trailer.