Bloomed
Since its first release (in Europe in 1993), Richard Buckner's debut has stumbled in and out of print much as his characters drift in and out of love, and waver between hope and regret. This reissue is remastered, with five previously unavailable tracks appended. More direct and accessible than its artful, allusive follow-ups (1997'sDevotion + Doubtand 1998'sSince),Bloomedintroduced a breathtakingly talented songwriter in the West Texas tradition ofTownes Van ZandtandButch Hancock(who guests here on harmonica). Throughout, Buckner's remarkable voice--weathered, big but not blunt, intimate--stands starkly against a rich backdrop of mandolin, fiddle, and steel. One quibble: the bonus tracks should've been issued on a separate disc. Recorded by Buckner alone in a separate session, sans band and producer, they're notBloomedouttakes. But they're all fine songs, from "Emma," a spare lament inspired by the James Agee tomeLet Us Now Praise Famous Men, to "Settled Down," a verbose ballad of intricate detail.--Anders Smith-Lindall