Red to Blue

Redbone's conversational style fits anywhere from a coffeehouse setting to a concert to hawking detergent on TV. Here, in this reissue of an album he cut in 1987, he takes on everything from country & western tunes (the opening "Diamonds Don't Mean a Thing" and "Lovesick Blues," which features a dialogue with Hank Williams, Jr.) to old favorites like "Someday Sweetheart," "Somebody Stole My Gal," and "Aw You Salty Dog." The usual Dixieland backing augmenting his tasteful fingerpicked guitar work makes this a seamless addition to his discography. (AMG)