Must Be Live
Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart take their marital partnership to the stage on this double-disc compilation of 23 songs drawn from various performances.Must Be Liveis a low-key, all-acoustic affair that emphasizes his-and-hers harmonizing and Earle's folkie-side-of-country ballads; most of this material first appeared on her studio albumsSimple GearleandDancin' with Them That Brung Me. Stuart's sensitive lead playing is a treat, and his handful of tunes--first recorded for his albumSongs from a Corner Stage--are highlights too. The collection also includes three previously unrecorded Earle originals, among them the older concert staples "Cancha Dance" and "One Day Closer," though unfortunately, there's also a lot of tiresome stage patter.--Anders Smith Lindall