Truckers, Kickers, Cowboy Angels: The Blissed-Out Birth of Country Rock Vol. 4: 1971

The fourth volume of 's seven-edition country-rock history kicks off with 's locomotive rendition of "Hot Rod Lincoln," possibly the hardest-rocking cut yet featured in this series. It's a good indication of how things were changing in 1971, the year chronicled in this double-disc set. What began as a mellow breeze blowing out of Southern California grew grittier as it swept across the country, picking up musicians who were perhaps a little rowdier than the previous generation's. That's another way of saying that there are a lot of bands featured on this installment of Truckers, Kickers, Cowboy Angels: , 's , and , every one of them bringing a heavier backbeat. When combined with a slight diminishment of the literate singer/songwriters that dominated -- the moody shows up toward the end of the collection, but both and seem comfortable showcased alongside the shaggier country-rockers here -- helps give this installment a funkier feel, a suspicion confirmed by the funkier acts included here: riding the roots movement, roaring through "Never Been to Spain," sending out "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights," , wherever he is, and this comp's great re-discovery, , a sensational singer/songwriter who wrote "Delta Dawn" and "Tulsa Turnaround" (and has nothing to do with the British rocker who shares his name). This kind of relaxed, down-and-dirty groove is so addictive that it's easy not to realize that is M.I.A. (the -led are here, though), but that only underscores how by 1971 the movement set into motion grew into its own thing. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine