Album reviews: Alan Jackson's pure 'Bluegrass Album'

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Chance the Rapper performs at Club Nokia on Dec. 29, 2013. REVIEW: Chance the Rapper trips out at Club Nokia (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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David Paden Marchand, best known by his stage name Davey Havok, is the lead vocalist of the American rock band AFI and performs at the KROQ-FM’s annual Almost Acoustic Christmas concert at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. Read the review: Day 1 | Day 2 (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

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Miley Cyrus performs at KIIS-FM’s Jingle Ball 2013 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. REVIEW: Miley Cyrus, Ariana Grande light up KIIS-FM Jingle Ball (Rick Loomis / Los Angeles Times)

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Keith Urban, left, performs with Miguel, right, at the Nokia Theatre for the 56th Grammy Awards Nominations Concert. FULL COVERAGE: Grammys 2014 (Rob Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Eddie Vedder of Pearl Jam performs at the L.A. Sports Arena on Nov. 23, 2013. Read the review. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

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M.I.A. performs at the Belasco Theatre on Nov. 11, 2013. Review: M.I.A. shakes the faithful (and the walls) at Belasco Theater (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Janelle Monae is among the performers slated to headline VH1’s Super Bowl kickoff shows. (Liz O. Baylen / Los Angeles Times)

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Legend Neil Young performs at the annual fundraiser for the Silverlake Conservatory music school Oct. 30 in Silver Lake. RELATED: Neil Young sets tone at benefit for children’s education (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Sir Bob Cornelius Rifo of Bloody Beetroots performs Nov. 2 at the Hard Day of the Dead electronic music festival at Los Angeles State Historic Park. Read about Day 1 | Day 2 (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

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L.A. sister trio Haim -- left to right, Alana, Danielle, Este Haim, and drummer Dash Hutton -- perform to a sellout crowd at the Fonda Theatre in Los Angeles. RELATED: Live review | Album review (Barbara Davidson / Los Angeles Times)

11/54

John Mayer performs at the Hollywood Bowl on Oct. 5, 2013. REVIEW: John Mayer thoughtful but frisky at the Hollywood Bowl (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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The New Zealand artist Lorde performs for a sold-out crowd at the Fonda Theatre in Hollywood on Sept. 24. REVIEW: Lorde tends to her flock at the Fonda Theatre (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

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Elton John performed old and new material, including songs off of his forthcoming album “The Diving Board” with USC Thornton School of Music students at the school’s Bovard Auditorium on Sept. 16. Read more about the concert. (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

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Emerging pop star Ariana Grande performs at Club Nokia. Review: Ariana Grande brings ‘Yours Truly’ to Club Nokia (Kirk McKoy / Los Angeles Times)

15/54

Chief Keef performing on the first day of Rock The Bells at San Manuel Amphitheater in San Bernardino. Review: Rock the Bells, Day one (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

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Toro y Moi performs during the first day of the FYF Fest at Los Angeles State Historic Park. REVIEW: Powerful surprises at every turn from FYF 2013 (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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The Yeah Yeah Yeahs vocalist Karen O performs at the FYF Fest. More photos from FYF 2013 (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Grammy Award-winning recording artist Diana Ross performs at the Hollywood Bowl. REVIEW: Diana Ross still show-stopping at the Hollywood Bowl (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

19/54

Jenny Lewis of the Postal Service performs at the Greek Theatre. Read the review. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

20/54

The Hollywood Bowl’s summer “Jazz at the Bowl” series begins with Queen Latifah. REVIEW: Queen Latifah takes it easy at the Hollywood Bowl (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

21/54

LL Cool J shared a stage with Public Enemy, Ice Cube and De La Soul at the Kings of the Mic Tour wrap-up at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. Read a review of the night. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

22/54

New Kids on the Block, a boy band sensation in the 1980s, reunited for a tour that included a stop at a sold-out Staples Center in early July. REVIEW: New Kids, Mindless Behavior keep boy bands booming (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

23/54

Ben Folds of Ben Folds Five performs at the Greek Theatre, sharing the stage with other ‘90s greats. Read the story. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

24/54

Chris Brown headlines at Powerhouse, KPWR-FM’s (105.9) annual hip-hop concert. More photos | Powerhouse recap (Susannah Kay / Los Angeles Times)

25/54

Steven Tyler of Aerosmith sings atop a piano during the annual “Opening Night at the Bowl” concert at the Hollywood Bowl. Review: Hollywood Bowl opens with Patti Austin, John Legend, Steven Tyler & Joe Perry (Bret Hartman / Los Angeles Times)

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Recording artist Kesha performed on a double bill with rapper Pitbull at the Hollywood Bowl, June 18, 2013. REVIEW: Kesha, Pitbull both shine in an odd pairing at the Bowl (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

27/54

Dan Reynolds and his band, Imagine Dragons, will play the Forum on Feb. 14. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

28/54

Jared Leto of the band 30 Seconds to Mars starts the set among the audience at KROQ’s annual Weenie Roast at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre in Irvine on May. 18, 2013. Review: KROQ’s indie-loving Weenie Roast 2013 (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

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Keith Richards, from left, Mick Jagger and Charlie Watts perform during the Rolling Stones’ 50 and Counting tour at the Honda Center in Anaheim. Photos: The Rolling Stones 32 years later (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

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Fall Out Boy performs in May at Wango Tango. Review: Wango Tango 2013 (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Emeli Sandé performs at the recent Wango Tango at the Home Depot Center in Carson. More photos from Wango Tango 2013 (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Lang Lang as the piano soloist with Gustavo Dudamel conducting the L.A. Phil. Review: Lang Lang leads the L.A. Phil on a jazzy jaunt (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

33/54

Keifer Thompson of Thompson Square throws a guitar pick to a young fan as he performs on the Mane Stage on the final day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio. Stagecoach 2013 highlights (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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A fan holds up a hat, cheering on Lady Antebellum at the Mane Stage on the second day of the Stagecoach Country Music Festival. More Stagecoach 2013 photos (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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Nathan Coto, from left, Ben Mercado and David Nguyen of Arroyo High School in El Monte, join nearly 1,000 high school students from 23 Southland high schools during rehearsal for a special performance at Walt Disney Concert Hall. (Al Seib / Los Angeles Times)

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Violin soloist Jennifer Koh in her “Bach and Beyond Part II” recital at Hahn Hall in Santa Barbara. Review: Jennifer Koh shows her own brilliance (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

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Damon Albarn and Blur at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio on April 19, 2013. Read the review. (Jay L. Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Father John Misty, a.k.a. Joshua Tillman, performs at the Coachella Music and Arts Festival in Indio. Review: Vampire Weekend, Father John Misty crank up the heat (Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

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Karen O of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs performs at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio. Read the review. (Bethany Mollenkof / Los Angeles Times)

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Rihanna performs at Staples Center as part of her Diamonds World Tour. Read the review. (Jay Clendenin / Los Angeles Times)

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Yuja Wang performs during her first recital at the Walt Disney Concert Hall. Review: Yuja Wang inspires wonder at Disney Hall (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

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Alicia Keys strikes a pose at the Staples Center. Review: Alicia Keys at Staples Center (Katie Falkenberg / Los Angeles Times)

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Swedish House Mafia performs at the Masquerade Motel two-day music festival at the Los Angeles State Historic Park. Read the review. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Adele performs during the televised 85th annual Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre. Oscar 2013 highlights (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Pianist Bob Hilmore plays during sunset for a small crowd in Half Moon Bay, Calif. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

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Taylor Swift performs at the 55th annual Grammy Awards at Staples Center. Photos: Grammys 2013: Best & worst moments (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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Fun. vocalist Jack Antonoff dances during the band’s performance at the Grammy Awards. Related: Grammy 2013 winners (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

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The Sound City Players, a supergroup headed by Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, center, play a sold-out show at the Hollywood Palladium. Read the review. (Michael Robinson Chavez / Los Angeles Times)

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The two remaining original members, lead vocalist Roger Daltrey, left and writer, guitarist Pete Townshend perform a track from rock opera album “Quadrophenia” at Staples Center. Read the review. (Michael Robinson Chave / Los Angeles Times)

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Ryan Hahn, left, and Taylor Rice of the L.A. band Local Natives play to a sold-out show at the Fonda in Hollywood. Read the review. (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

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Greg Graffin, lead vocals of the L.A. punk band Bad Religion, performs at the Echo. Review: A rowdy, shaggy night for Bad Religion (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

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Marc Francis is one of the members of the Young Fellaz Brass Band who perform regularly on a corner on Frenchman Street in New Orleans. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

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Muse lead singer and guitarist Matthew Bellamy performs with the band at Staples Center. Review: Muse at Staples Center (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)

54/54

Andrew Bird performs at Largo in West Hollywood. Review: Night 1 of Andrew Bird’s stint at Largo (Lawrence K. Ho / Los Angeles Times)

By Randy Lewis

Sept. 23, 2013 6:10 PM PT

Amiable country singer and songwriter Alan Jackson has been talking for ages about his wish to make a straight bluegrass album. That’s the reason he signed on for Alison Krauss to produce his 2006 album, “Like Red on a Rose,” one of his strongest collections, but one that veered far afield from traditional bluegrass.

Not this time — there’s nothing but earthy, lonesome music-making on Jackson’s “The Bluegrass Album.” It boasts all the requisite fiddle, mandolin, banjo, dobro, acoustic guitar, upright bass and sweet bending harmonies that define bluegrass.

Jackson and album producers Keith Stegall and Adam Wright infuse a back-porch feel in original numbers here and savvy selections from other writers, including Jackson’s new spin on John Anderson’s 1982 hit “Wild and Blue” and Adam Wright’s sharply witty “Ain’t Got Trouble Now.”

Among his own contributions, Jackson’s “Blue Ridge Mountain Song” and “Blue Side of Heaven” demonstrate his understanding of themes that are central to bluegrass: the knowledge that life is hard, but the human spirit can rise above.

Albums are rated on a scale of four stars (excellent), three stars (good), two stars (fair) and one star (poor).

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Alan Jackson

“The Bluegrass Album”

ACR Records

3 stars