Based upon their past credits, one anticipates a segmented division of labor from the three principals in Hamilton Pool. The Voice would be Fairport Convention founder Iain Mathews. The Technician would be multi-instrumentalist Mark Hellman, who's produced albums for Mathews, Carole King, and Sara Hickman, among others. And the Writer would be Michael Francasso, whose When I Lived in the Wild established his name among upstart Americana singer-songwriters. But any notions that Return to Zero is an assembly line collaboration are quickly dashed; these guys built this chassis using the Japanese team method. Lead vocal duties are shared just about equally, and while Francasso brings fewer songs to the mix than his two, he assumes frontman duties on two noteworthy covers-the Rolling Stones' "Back Street Girl" and Bob Neuwrith's majestically bleak "Eye on the Road. " -Steven Stolder.

A roaring testament to Ely's vitality on stage, this set marries strong lyric-centered material with a protopunk country attitude. The alchemy is volatile, and Ely has never quite harnassed such power again. His timely association with The Clash was probably the inspiration he needed: he reworked classic material-"Me and Billy the Kid," "Letter to L. A. " and "Bluebird," featuring the harmony of Butch Hancock-and squeezed the utmost energy from every song. His band-featuring Jimmy Petit, Davis McLarty, and David Grissom-was stripped down but rocked harder because of it, and Ely sang like he'd never get another chance. Believe it: This is one of the most exhilarating live albums, ever. -Roy Francis Kasten.

Based upon their past credits, one anticipates a segmented division of labor from the three principals in Hamilton Pool. The Voice would be Fairport Convention founder Iain Mathews. The Technician would be multi-instrumentalist Mark Hellman, who's produced albums for Mathews, Carole King, and Sara Hickman, among others. And the Writer would be Michael Francasso, whose When I Lived in the Wild established his name among upstart Americana singer-songwriters. But any notions that Return to Zero is an assembly line collaboration are quickly dashed; these guys built this chassis using the Japanese team method. Lead vocal duties are shared just about equally, and while Francasso brings fewer songs to the mix than his two, he assumes frontman duties on two noteworthy covers-the Rolling Stones' "Back Street Girl" and Bob Neuwrith's majestically bleak "Eye on the Road. " -Steven Stolder.

Among the countless blues recordings of holiday tunes, this more recent survey from Black Top pits heavy-guitar stylists like Earl King and Robert Ward with more-popular roadhouse belters such as Anson Funderburgh and the Rockets and Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers. It's a great lineup, but the titles tell the story: "Grady and Santa Are Coming to Town" (Grady Gaines & the Texas Upsetters); "No More Pretty Presents" (Piazza); "Christmas by the Bar-B-Que" (Lynn August); and, naturally, Funderburgh's "Young Girls Drive Me Wild (at Christmas). " But it's Robert Ward's chillingly funky and impassioned number "Wouldn't It Be a Merry Christmas?" that will make Santa's little helpers want to get up and do some kind of funky-chicken derivation by the Christmas tree. -Martin Keller.

On reflection, it's no wonder that so many artists were available for Total Lee: The Songs of Lee Hazlewood. Hazlewood occupies a position in posterity similar to that of the Velvet Underground-ignored by the world at large, but disproportionately adored by fellow musicians. Hazlewood's only glimpse of popular appeal occurred when Nancy Sinatra had a worldwide hit with his "These Boots Are Made For Walking", a karaoke standard ignored by the 16 artists who appear on this tribute album. What is startling about this fine collection is that a lot of the artists here seem endearingly unable to separate their admiration for Hazlewood's songs from his myth: for most young men who've ever picked up a guitar, Hazlewood's life of meandering from town to town, girl to girl, bottle to bottle, has a certain aspirational quality, and may be the reason why every male artist on this album finds himself, consciously or not, adopting his signature consumptive drawl: The Webb Brothers, Jarvis Cocker, Richard Hawley, Calexico and Erlend Oye are more impersonation than interpretation, but nonetheless engaging. As Nancy Sinatra demonstrated, Hazlewood's deadpan songs take on new, or rather, a different life with a female vocalist, and that's also the case here: St Etienne's Sarah Cracknell brings a breathy wistfulness to "Got it Together Again", and Kathryn Williams' "Easy & Me" is simply magnificent. Total Lee is terrific fun, and no less than Hazlewood deserves. -Andrew Mueller.

"Kinky writes from the bottom of his heart and/or the heart of his bottom," explains Captain Midnight in the liner notes to this engaging 17-song tribute to the ultimate "Texas Jewboy". Friedman's songs offer a most unusual blend of insight and irreverence, of scathing social commentary and absolute inanity, wrapped up in traditional country clothing. "Ride 'em Jewboy", despite its lighthearted title, is a moving rumination about the Holocaust, delivered sympathetically by Willie Nelson. Lee Roy Parnell assuredly honky-tonks through "Nashville Casualty & Life", a poignant ode to a mistreated Music City busker, while Dwight Yoakam dips his drawl into "Rapid City, South Dakota", a song about runaways and unwanted pregnancy-perhaps the only pro-choice country song around. Lyle Lovett invests the proper amount of resignation into "Sold American", Friedman's lament on fleeting stardom and capitalist betrayal. Guy Clark, Tompall Glaser, Tom Waits, Billy Swan and even the Kinkster himself also issue noteworthy readings. Perhaps the impressive roster of interpreters here will show him to be more than a mere novelty-or maybe they'll prove him to be the most weighty novelty act in town. Either way, the corned beef will come by and by. [+]