Live At The Old Quarter
Legendary Texas singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt was just 29 years old  when he recordedLive at the Old Quarter. The result of a five-night  stand at a tiny club in Houston, what is arguably his best album was originally  released on vinyl as a two-album set, and later on compact disc in a slightly  abbreviated version. Tomato's reissue, however, restores the album to its full  glory, complete with remastered sound and insightful liner notes by music writer  Chet Flippo. Van Zandt, who died of a heart attack in 1997, sings of love and  loss in a world-weary voice that begs you to pay close attention. After  apologizing for the club's broken air conditioner, he kicks things off with a  stirring version of "Pancho and Lefty," perhaps his most famous song. But that's  just one gem among many, such as the longing "If I Needed You," the fatalistic  "Don't You Take It Too Bad," the bleak "Kathleen," the bitter "Tower Song," and  the touching "Tecumseh Valley." Unlike his studio albums, some of which suffer  from overly busy arrangements,Live at the Old Quarterfinds Van Zandt  performing solo and acoustic, which only makes his emotionally honest music all  the more powerful.--David Hill