O.C. POP MUSIC REVIEW : John Anderson: Rough ‘n’ Reliable

John Anderson’s voice is better than money in the bank, to paraphrase one of the hits that contributed to his now long-running comeback story.

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The trouble on Monday at the Crazy Horse was getting your hands on it. Between a sound mix that reduced his singing to the level of the band’s instruments and Anderson’s habit of bobbing his head in and out of microphone range, the voice that should have commanded the performance was as elusive as money in a sinking S&L.;

That put a slight damper on the continuing celebration of the Florida native’s notable return to prominence in the country field. A contender for greatness in the early ‘80s, he had all but disappeared by the end of the decade.

But when the Eagles-like “Straight Tequila Night” hit No. 1 in 1992, Anderson was on a roll. This year he received a career achievement award from the Academy of Country Music and, maybe even more rewarding because it recognizes his current work, a Country Music Assn. nomination for male vocalist of the year.

The comeback has been warmly received because Anderson embodies class and modesty and because it easily is seen as a rare and refreshing case of true talent and perseverance finding their reward.

The songs that sparked the return are uneven, but there’s no doubting that rough-hewn voice. Like a fine rocking chair, it’s solid, full of grain and character, comfortable and embracing. And it swings, in a limited, predictable way.

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Anderson was typically direct Monday, bringing a genuineness to his ballads and a wry, knowing playfulness to the driving boogie and honky-tonk tunes--such as the current single “Country ‘til I Die,” in which he revitalizes the standard scenario of a country boy being perplexed by the weird music and fancy food at a big-city party.

The performance was solid and professional--not quite perfunctory, but businesslike, with no surprises or revelations. The bearded, flashily jacketed singer looked like a billy goat who’d charged through a sequin factory, and his main expression of immediacy was his eye-contact interplay with the members of his uncommonly sharp band. Missing were moments of all-out release and spontaneity.

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The set was a well-planned mix of medium-tempo and upbeat tunes, with a few early songs dropped in among the predominantly recent material. It was capped by “Seminole Wind,” Anderson’s sentimental but deeply felt and musically rich lament for the destruction of Florida’s cultural and natural heritage.

It also included his biggest hit, 1983’s “Swingin,’ ” which he has re-recorded on his new album. We know he’s environmentally conscious, but this might carry recycling a little too far.