Day After Tomorrow (CD)

Now revered as the grand doyenne of folk music, Baez has stayed relevant by never straying too far from her roots. A songwriter in her own right, the singer also has a long history as a very effective interpreter of other artist's material. On Day After Tomorrow, produced by the brilliant singer/songwriter Steve Earle (who also contributes three tracks), Baez sinks her formidable chops into the work of sprightly songbirds like Diana Jones and Patty Griffin as well as grizzled vets like Tom Waits, Elvis Costello and T Bone Burnett -- all with authentic, Baez-style grace.

There are quite a few moments here that recall the singer's halcyon days -- most notably, the lilting falsetto of Eliza Gilkyson's "Rose Of Sharon" and the heartfelt title track, composed by Waits and his wife, Kathleen Brennan. A second Gilkyson tune, "Requiem," finds Baez performing dazzling vocal feats that impress with all the vigor of her finest recordings. When she reaches for the shimmering high notes, we're reminded why, 40 years later, people still want to hear her radiant delivery.

Tomorrow is definitely laid back. Older and wiser, Baez seems to be declaring that, when it comes to life, nobody gets it perfect. "Every day that passes, I'm sure about a little bit less" she sings on the Earle-penned opener, "God Is God," a gentle, finger-picking ode to giving oneself over to faith. Earle, whose own style is more intense and fatalistic, is a great balance for Baez' eternal optimism. On tracks like "I'm A Wanderer," Baez can sing lyrics about being a prisoner "pacing in my cell," and somehow make the proposition sound like a not entirely unpleasant one.

There are terrific moments on here, like Baez's reading of Griffin's "Mary" -- a wonder both lyrically and melodically. But nothing that compares with the album's final track -- an a cappella number called "Jericho Road" (again, courtesy of Earle) that features Baez singing in a craggy, theatrical style that we rarely get to hear.

The marriage of the folk icon and the country anti-hero is definitely a potent one. Here's hoping we haven't heard the last of it.