From Hell to Paradise
Few country artists of the 1990s have been able to meld a pronounced pop sensibility with the core elements of classic country as effectively as Miami's Mavericks. Their 1992 major-label debut displays a band mature well beyond its years, one not afraid of either tantalizing melodies or country music history. Here the Mavericks reprise four tunes from theireponymous indie debutand toss in four new Raul Malo originals along with covers ofHank Williams(a lackluster "Hey Good Lookin'") andBuck Owens(a much more engaging "Excuse Me"). Their deft mix of old-school honky-tonk,Orbisonesque sob stories, and punchy modern country-rock serves notice of a band with enormous commercial and artistic potential.--Marc Greilsamer