Hillbilly Deluxe

This follow-up to Yoakam's sensational debut GUITARS, CADILLACS... is an equally compelling dose of his straight-ahead, irresistible Bakersfield country. In the mould of his heroes Buck Owens and Merle Haggard, Yoakam works a no-frills, traditional honky tonk sound, yet brings to the form a touch of twang guitar rockabilly and his own spin on convention. Yoakam's stripped down aesthetic, wiry guitar leads, and laid-back but stylized vocals (not to mention back-ups that occasionally sound like they're sung with tongue in cheek) hint that the singer likes to tweak the sacred cow of country, even as he rides it.

The album includes four hit singles: "Please, Please Baby," a cover of Lefty Frizell's "Always Late (With Your Kisses), the true blue honky tonk gem "Little Ways," and a superlative, country-rockified reading of Elvis Presley's "Little Sister." Though these are more than enough to carry the record, the remaining tracks, including the cowboy boogie of "Smoke Along the Track" and country ballads like "Johnson's Love" (complete with weeping steel guitar, of course), round out the package nicely. An excellent sophomore installment from one of contemporary country music's brightest lights.