GARY STEWART

“Brand New.” Hightone. ***

Stewart fans who might have wondered whether the great honky-tonk singer of the ‘70s dropped off the face of the earth will find, fortunately, that not everything is brand new on his first album in about five years. Sounding inspired and refreshed, Stewart retains the unmistakable vocal quaver that makes ballads like “Rainin’ Rainin’ Rainin’ ” ache and barroom brawlers like “I Get Drunk” quake. There are a couple of routine numbers here, but they’re easy to overlook when you hear a singer communicate as much sheer fun as Stewart sounds like he’s having on the roof-raiser “Son of a Honky Tonk Woman.”