Dex Romweber has been floating around like an 800 lb. gorilla through the underground music scene since before, say, the time of Jesus. It's just a guess. I mean, it does seem like the dude must be older than dirt. I've been hearing about him and listening to his music forever. So, why is it that people like faux bluesman Jack White and indie songstresses Chan Marshall and Neko Case are coming out of the woodwork only now to proclaim Dex the saviour of all that is rock-n-rolly holy, as well as of their personal wounded souls?

Thanks to these characters and their hero worship Dex is experiencing somewhat of a renaissance as an elder statesman of rock-n-roll, and I don't mind that. He's finally getting his due. What I do mind is the transformation of Dex from a justifiably celebrated, guitar-slaughtering, rockabilly-saving punk to a cause celebre. Yes, it's happening. When your heretofore-silent followers start showing up on your records, it's happening. And here's where I really start worrying about the destruction of all that is Dex Romweber.

Last night, six songs from his upcoming record, "Ruins Of Berlin," were released on his MySpace site, duets with Chan and Neko included. First off, let me say that even as I've derided both in the two prior paragraphs I do generally like their music. But they do not reach the levels of raw power and passion that I've come to associate with Dex. And just being in the same room with him clearly dims any star either has, because I have never heard Chan or Neko sound so sick and lost and out of place. Chan's normally raspy, lovely, soft plea turns into a paper-thin, barely-there, lifeless case of walking pneumonia on "Love Letters." And she brings Dex down with her, because his trademark cross between growling and crooning amounts to nothing more than a mustered tremolo here - and you have no idea how much it pains me to say that. Neko's no better. She sounds as if she's phoning in her vocals on "Still Around." With her own songs her voice usually soars and swells and crests before crashing down around you. Here she might as well be reading from a script. It's a formulaic, monotone mess. Again, Dex is affected by this. He suffers from the drastic production methods apparently needed to adapt either lady to his world, or adapt him to theirs. His life-giving guitar prowess has even been tempered. He's still a madly-talented player, but there is nothing here to recall the musician I know and love. This is an absolutely devastating revelation for me. Is this the result of his collaboration with two women who were not made for his brand of tried-and-true simple rock-n-roll, or is Dex Romweber losing his touch? I don't even want to think about that.

But I can't lay all the blame on the ladies. This is his first record on the Bloodshot label, which produced the presumed grand-daddy of all alt-country records, Ryan Adams's "Heartbreaker." One look at the lineup assembled by this label tells you it's largely an alt-country joint. And there's nothing wrong with that. Everyone here knows I am quite the Ryan Adams whore. But Dex Romweber is not alt-country, and some of these new songs smack of just that. He's being shaped to fit into a mold that won't contain him, at least not with any degree of honesty. The label very likely could have produced the daylights out of this record because they knew the real Dex Romweber wouldn't fit their agenda. The man who can set shit ablaze with one chord, one howl, is above and beyond the likes of most artists on that label. (The Old 97's being an exception, of course. It might also behoove me to note that Neko Case releases on this label.) Bloodshot might not be the right label for him. What happened to Yep Roc? He released an awesome record on Yep Roc. Bloodshot can't be the only label interested in him. Ay-yi-yi.

I've been excited about this new record since I first heard of it. The mention of Chan and Neko duets worried me a bit, but I thought Dex would prevail. He's seemed to remain his own man throughout the various trends, never failing to rock me back to life when I needed it. But after listening to these new songs I'm not sure what to think anymore. It doesn't sound like the Dex Romweber who sets my heart a-thumpin'. That's not to say it's bad, but rather it's lost some of its kick. I'm hoping this is ultimately some kind of evil MySpace conspiracy to bring down everyone who isn't Lindsay Lohan or Britney Spears. When the record is finally released - and I will buy it no matter what - there will hopefully be no trace of boredom or over-zealous fan girls, only a man who may continue to age but will never be too old to kick the industry's ass.