Record Rack

On their latest release, Nashville nonconformist Kurt Wagner and his collective (including guest vocalist Vic Chesnutt) continue to develop their singular country style, blending bits of jazz and tropicalia with traditional strings and percussion. Wagner’s languid, time-warped western swingers and ethereal ballads are quietly hypnotic, but even more intriguing are the vivid renditions of vintage soul tunes by Curtis Mayfield (“Give Me Your Love”) and Frederick Knight (“I’ve Been Lonely for So Long”).

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Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent). The albums are already released unless otherwise noted.