POP MUSIC REVIEW : DeMent Does Mentors Proud

You know a singer-songwriter is worth checking out when John Prine writes the liner notes for her album and Emmylou Harris sings on its tracks.

And Iris DeMent did the endorsements proud in a warm, frequently enchanting 90-minute set on Saturday at McCabe’s.

DeMent, an Arkansas native in her early 30s, has many of the songwriting characteristics of Prine, a master of character and detail. DeMent, too, operates in a folk-country style, often using childhood memories as the starting point for sentimental tales of people and places.

In tunes such as “Mama’s Opry” a reflection on a woman’s daydreams, and “Our Town,” DeMent sings about those memories in a distinctive way that combines the traditional country purity of Harris--especially at the upper registers--and the quirky, lonesome individuality of a Jimmie Dale Gilmore.

One reason that DeMent’s tales about personal roots have such a convincing ring is that they are seasoned with the gospel and early country music sounds that she heard around the house as a child.

DeMent, who was raised in Buena Park but now lives in Kansas City, has a friendly, disarming manner on stage and, also like Prine, tends to balance her serious songs with tunes that have a humorous edge.

“Hotter Than Mojave in My Heart” is a colorful way of telling about how she was crazy about a guy, while “Let the Mystery Be” is a gently philosophical commentary about religious attitudes.

DeMent’s debut album, “Infamous Angel” on Philo Records, offers an enticing introduction to someone who exhibits the sensitivity and craft to be one of the most valuable folk-oriented artists of the ‘90s.