First spin through this was awkward, but now it's through its happy 10th CD Walkman cycle.

This one's a winner, an accessible follow-up to the bluegrass project, dotted with some of the more straightforward rockers since Copperhead Road. So, in the spirit of that, let's break it down into easily digestible snippets. That all right?

The title track: sweet. I Don't Want to Lose You Yet: beautiful. Lonelier Than This: heartbreaking. Wherever I Go: infectious. All My Life: looping and rockin'.

And so on.

This feels more like a less sad sequel to El Corazon than anything. The structure is very similar, the tone less political, unfortunately. That's OK. Earle's definitely evolving into an interesting middle-aged man, fascinated by the early railroad days of country with enough whisky left over in his blood to make you bang your head when he picks up his guitar.

Steve Earle, slightly rejected by country's deep underground for being too showy, partly ignored by the mainstream because he's too damn ragged, is all right, man.

Track Listing 01.Transcendental Blues
  02.Everyone's In Love With You
  03.Another Town
  04.I Can Wait
  05.The Boy Who Never Cried
  06.Steve's Last Ramble
  07.The Galway Girl
  08.Lonlier Than This
  09.Wherever I Go
  10.When I Fall
  11.I Don't Want To Lose You Yet
  12.Halo 'Round The Moon
  13.Until The Day I Die
  14.All Of My Life
  15.Over Yonder (Jonathan's Song)