STRAIT, GEORGE

On Somewhere Down In Texas, the ever-reliable George Strait stays the course he'd charted for years prior, which is to say that he once again manages to combine mainstream appeal with a classy, understated country style that makes no secret of his roots in George Jones, Merle Haggard, and the like. Unlike nearly every other country star of his era, Strait never comes anywhere near the rock trappings or power ballads that are de rigeur in so much contemporary country. There may be the occasional extraneous orchestration here and there, but any album that opens with "If the Whole World Was a Honky Tonk" and lives up to the title must have its heart in the right place. Along the way, there are echoes of Roger Miller's slightly jazzy sound ("The Seashores of Old Mexico") and Dwight Yoakam's neo-Bakersfield boogie ("High Tone Woman"), some strikingly inventive harmonic twists ("Good News Bad News"), and a broken-hearted ballad that's arguably the album's highlight ("Ready For the End of the World"). Ultimately, what truly amazes is the way Strait makes putting together such a sophisticated, pleasure-giving album seem so easy.

Estimated despatch 5-10 days after ordering.