Steve Earle: Transcendental Blues (E-Squared/Artemis Records)
There are so many styles and genres on this cracker of an album that it should be a well-meaning mess. That it is possibly the finest moment in either the first or second phases of Earle's career is entirely due to the highly individual way he adapts influences - from rock/pop to country, Pogue-Irish to Monroe bluegrass, and parts in between and beyond. Yet there is nothing overblown here. Everything seems properly in place. The playing is quietly excellent, his singing equally so, and Ray Kennedy's production turns all the right buttons. Mix that up with a selection of thoughtful, thought-provoking songs inspired by his incident-packed back pages, colour it with occasional pumped-up irreverence, and you have a potential crossgenre roots classic.
Ronnie McCoury: Heartbreak Town (Rounder)
Guess who turns up on the sleeve of this album, offering a glowing testimonial to the talents of McCoury, a much-lauded mandolin-player? None other than Steve Earle: "Ronnie McCoury is the epitome of the modern bluegrass musician. His effortless mastery of the music's traditional elements infuses his more contemporary excursions with a timeless drive." While such praise is to be expected (Earle's last album was a joint venture with Ronnie's dad, Del, and his band), McCoury junior does manage to successfully negotiate the line between "newgrass" and its more venerable forefather. The 13 mostly original tracks include four dazzling instrumentals - Dawggone and The Road from Coeburn to Warren contrast the new with the old. However, his tuneful voice lacks presence, and the songs, laced with references to the demon drink and bad love, suffer accordingly. The title track and the bitter Somebody's Gonna Pay are powerful performances, though.