Back in the '80s when he was in L.A. roots-rock revivalists The Blasters, Dave Alvin wrote a tune called American Music, his ode to "the greatest sound right from the U.S.A." Two decades later, his attachment to the music of his homeland hasn't diminished. On the contrary: On his flawless seventh solo disc, he takes it a step further, digging deep into the mother lode of public domain folk, blues and bluegrass music and unearthing 16 magnificent gems of classic Americana. More importantly, he breathes new life into them. This isn't just some musical history lesson -- although some tunes get the traditional treatment of just his tasteful guitar and deep, sipping-whiskey voice, most get revamped with the help of his crack combo. Shenandoah, for instance, has an organ-fuelled, Blonde on Blonde vibe; Walk Right In is a slice of barrelhouse blues; East Virginia Blues gets a Sun rockabilly makeover. But whatever the interpretation, the sheer joy Alvin obviously gleans from these songs inhabits every nook and cranny of this disc. Public Domain is sure to be one of the year's top roots releases.

Track Listing 1.Shenandoah
  02.Maggie Campbell
  03.A Short Life Of Trouble
  04.What Did The Deep Sea Say
  05.Engine 143
  06.Delia
  07.Dark Eyes
  08.Walk Right In
  09.Murder Of The Lawson Family
  10.Don't Let Your Deal Go Down
  11.Railroad Bill
  12.Texas Rangers
  13.Mama, Ain't Long For Day
  14.East Virginia Blues
  15.Sign Of Judgement