The Blue Ridge Rangers Ride Again

released his first solo CD, an album of covers on which he played all the instruments, under the name the "Blue Ridge Rangers," and he revives that concept on 2009's . Where the first smacked of the righteous zeal of a young purist, is a lot looser in its attack, something reflected in how it splits the difference between country and rockabilly classics and reflective numbers from '70s songwriters. These unexpected covers of , , and offer a peek at a sweeter, gentler , a who can also be heard on how he lays back instead of pushing ahead on ' and 's and even on his revamp of his own neglected swamp rocker He can still raise an unholy ruckus, wailing his way through ' rockabilly classic and joyously duetting with on but isn't a raucous rock & roll album, it's a relaxed good time, a little bit of cheerful nostalgia that's pretty charming. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine