The music on this album is what is really happening, so the inevitable discussion of the cover will be dispensed with first. It is indeed a beautiful yet garish color picture of a band. The jackets the guys in the band are wearing are stunning. In fact, the members of the get to wear nicer threads than their boss , if this album cover is any indication. That is probably just one example of what a nice guy is, that is when he isn't 50 sheets to the wind. But back to the cover. has a fantastic haircut, true. But it inevitably loses out to staring at the pair of glasses one of the sidemen is wearing. These are glasses that comedian would kill for, if only to give his satires of the '60s some authenticity. , eventually a star in his own right, is one of the , easily recognizable on both front and back cover photos. Okay, so it is one of the great album covers. The music totally lives up to whatever expectations are created by this artwork. The musicians sound wonderful here, creating a sentimental old-time sound when necessary in the devastating or delivering the type of twangy honky-tonk fans associate with Bakersfield, CA, and his . The band also handles enough harmony vocal to sound like the type of vocal group that sometimes gets dragged into the studios at recording sessions. The influence had on is also demonstrated, as some of the more electric and peppier numbers here could easily keep company on any of that artist's early albums. The rhythm section is excellent; check out or the classic for prime examples of what a good band should sound like. The latter tune, sparked here by a guitar solo loaded with interestellar reverb, is one of several numbers here by the under-rated Nashville song craftsman . Another good number here is Of course the premier, number one attraction is the voice of . The slightly strained, -influenced high-end vocals are here, along with overwhelming dips into the baritone end and phrasing that rivals that of singer 's, although she never got to sing a lyric such as this line from 's : "Someone threw a baseball through my window...." ~ Eugene Chadbourne