suggested with its textures and structures, but was a full-fledged album, complete with steel guitars and brief, direct songs. It's a warm, friendly album, particularly since is singing in a previously unheard gentle croon -- the sound of his voice is so different it may be disarming upon first listen, but it suits the songs. While there are a handful of lightweight numbers on the record, at its core are several excellent songs -- as well as a duet with on -- that have become . And there's no discounting that , arriving in the spring of 1969, established as a vital force in music, as well as a commercially viable genre. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine