Georgia Hard
Few country songwriters are both smarter and funnier than Robbie Fulks, though his humor has saddled him with a reputation as a purveyor of smart-aleck novelty fare. Except for the hillbilly hokum of "I'm Gonna Take You Home (And Make You Like Me)," he plays it comparatively straight onGeorgia Hard, confirming that he's a consummate country craftsman in the process. Amid the generous selection of 15 songs, highlights range from the countrypolitan, string-laden "Leave It to a Loser," on which Fulks channels the soulful sophistication of the lateCharlie Rich, to the dance-floor buoyancy of "Each Night I Cry," which sounds closer toRodney Crowell. A pair of murder ballads, "Coldwater, Tennessee" and "If They Could Only See Me Now," show his mastery of the taut, dark narrative, while fans of his sardonic streak will love "Countrier Than Thou." The musicianship is first-rate throughout, with the instrumental "Right on Redd" showcasing the interplay of guitaristRedd Volkaertwith steel guitar legend Lloyd Green. If Nashville decides to return to songs of cheatin', drinkin', and killin', this is an album full of hits just waiting to happen.--Don McLeese