The Gift of Clarity

These days, much Americana music sounds like mutually agreed-upon wish fulfillment. If we all agree that this is a distinctive genre and it's doing something particularly valuable, then it's so. But much of what crosses my desk isn't special or genre-busting, so it's hard to get with the program. Still, I was driving last night and listening to Raul Malo's Lucky One and Dave Alvin and the Guilty Women and their musical, melodic, lyrical and conceptual clarity were so refreshing.