Borderland
Borderland's guitar and accordion evoke the cantinas of  the Texas-Mexico border, but most of the songs here concern what the  album-opening "Touch of Evil" calls "the borderline between a woman and  a man." Raised in California, veteran troubadour Tom Russell moved a  few years ago to the corner of Texas where El Paso meets Juarez,  following his songwriting muse into territory that he probes to richly  evocative effect throughout these narratives. Though his voice tends  toward the wooden ("Hills of Old Juarez" could pass as aJohnny Cashdemo)  and his melodies too often provide the barest support for his  storylines, the help of producer Gurf Morlix, accordionist Joel Guzman,  keyboardist Ian McLagan, and singersEliza GilkysonandJimmy LaFaveadd  warmth and range. Highlights extend from the bittersweet balladry of  "Where the Dream Begins" to the melodic lilt of "Let It Go," withDave Alvin,Katy Moffatt, and  Russell's longtime guitarist Andrew Hardin collaborating on other  material.--Don McLeese