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Jon Dee Graham might be considered a late bloomer, a middle-aged songwriter who has drawn from a wealth of experience to create the richest music of a veteran career. Too often characterized as an Alejandro Escovedo sideman (in the True Believers and again in Escovedo's current band) or a Tom Waits soundalike, he shows greater creative range and emotional depth here than ever. "Something Wonderful" sounds like an open-armed embrace of all of life's riches, while the opening "Jubilee" has the melodic lilt, harmonic uplift, and guitar jangle of classic Byrds. From the deep-soul balladry of "Swept Away" to the solo acoustic intimacy of "O Dearest One," Graham leaves himself open, lays himself bare.  "Remain" is as tender as a lullaby; "Beloved Garden" is as reverent as prayer. Yet the slide-driven "Holes" shows why Graham has long been in demand as a guitarist for hire, while the hard-riffing propulsion of "Bonaparte" finds him rocking as powerfully as he ever has.--Don McLeese