Domestic Blues
Halfway throughDomestic Blues, Bap Kennedy confides "I've Fallen in Love" in as sweet a declaration as you'll ever hear. More often, though, he obsesses over all the domestic partners who're going or already gone. With a Dylanish snarl, he begs their forgiveness, regrets his mistakes, even warns, "I've got to get out of this house before I hurt you." He calls his lovers vampires and devils,sayshe's well off rid of them. But mainly, whether he's country-rocking like co-producer Steve Earle, copping a Stonesy strut, or updating older acoustic twangs with alt-country drive, he just prays one of these women will come back. Can't say if they will or not, but I do know all this obsessing makes for one of  the year's best.--David Cantwell