Good Dog Happy Man
The live-simple equation reached in the title ofGood Dog, Happy Manmight lull the listener into believing that Bill Frisell's continuing vamp on hisNashvilleband is reaching for the quaintest sounds possible. But in truth, this mellow-opening recording is as reaching and full of yearning as any of the guitar great's other releases. He draws in the full-on bluegrass sound ofNashvillewith the more rock-hard crunch of that redoubtable effort's successor,Gone, Just Like a Train, which debuted longtime session drummer Jim Keltner as an ideal foil for Frisell's squishy guitar end runs around flashiness. Keltner's back on board, as is bassist Viktor Krauss (who began his Frisellian foray onNashville), but the band has grown to includeWayne Horvitzon Hammond B-3 for several steamy tracks, Greg Leisz on steel guitar and mandolin, and Billy Cox on second six-string guitar. Frisell marks each tune with a uniquely decentered stamp, giving off a comfortable aura for new listeners and sneaking in gobs of weird twists and phrases. In addition, he samples in layers of squiggles in spots, makingDogsound like an ageless pop gem as well as the boundary-busting bounty that it is.--Andrew Bartlett