Van Morrison and Linda Gail Lewis, You Win Again, Virgin Records

Is Van Morrison in a writing slump? His last two albums have been primarily cover tunes. I'm not complaining... don't get me wrong. You Win Again, recorded with the pumping piano and countrified vocals of Linda Gail Lewis, sister of the legendary Jerry Lee, is a kick-up-your heels mix of R&B and country classics, in which the usually dour Mr. Morrison sounds genuinely energized and upbeat. Lewis seems a perfect foil for Morrison's interpretations, and their harmonies, while not seamless, are nonetheless soulful and appealing in their ragged glory. You Win Again is nothing less than exhilarating music from an artist known for his moody unpredictability.

Dave Alvin, Public Domain Hightone Records

Prolific guitarist/singer/songwriter Dave Alvin just keeps dominating his share of the Americana music marketplace with one great recording after another. This time, Alvin has recorded a collection of old, traditional songs, most of which are now in the public domain, rearranging them to suit his deep, basso vocals, oftentimes dramatic guitar, and his loose, yet tight backing band, The Guilty Men. Acoustic instruments dominate, but Alvin and the band kick up some electric dust here and there, as they run through versions of old chestnuts like "Maggie Campbell," "Engine 143," "Delia," "Walk Right In," "Railroad Bill," "Don't Let Your Deal Go Down," "Mama, Ain't Long For Day" and others. Tremendous music, and highly recommended for the folk/country/rockabilly fans.

John Hiatt, Crossing Muddy Water, Vanguard Records

Eschewing his usual sarcastic rock 'n roll barbs for a homely, folky/country acoustic release, songwriter John Hiatt has delivered an excellent, stripped down effort, with, as another writer opined, a "front porch feel." In other words, while the recording quality is high tech and warm, the overall vibe is relaxed and informal, as the music embraces folk, country, bluegrass, blues and gospel styles in fine fashion. Crossing Muddy Water is one of the year's best.

James Armstrong, Got It Goin' On, Hightone Records

California blues guitarist James Armstrong survived a recent intruder attack in his home, which damaged his left hand in the process, initially limiting his ability to play. With his career seemingly over, Armstrong persevered, and with a great deal of physical therapy, determination and the prayers of family and fans, he has battled back with this new album, a solid recording of contemporary meat and potatoes blues and R&B. While Armstrong's fingering is perhaps not quite as deft as it used to be, he deserves a lot of credit for rising above the tragedy against steep, steep odds. And the music is great, so one doesn't notice any appreciable decline in his fretwork. Trust me, the man can still play guitar like a champ. Very tasty stuff. Check this one out.

Colin Linden, (raised by wolves), Compass Records

Canadian Colin Linden sounds as if he was born and raised in the Louisiana swamp instead of the great white north. Linden, a star in Canada who is now looking for US acceptance, is a scintillating, emotional songwriter of talent and finesse. The music has an occasionally spooky, lowdown southern vibe, not unlike Little Feat in their more subtle moments, slide guitarist Sonny Landreth, and even Creedence Clearwater Revival. The influence of Delta blues and New Orleans R&B is also prevalent, making (raised by wolves) another of the best recordings released this year, with superior songwriting, and standout instrumental and vocal performances. Blues fans, buy the disc and you'll understand the significance of the title. Very highly recommended.

Rev. Neil Down, American Friend, Burn Barrel Records

Thank God for the eccentric musical individualists... like Rev. Neil Down, a singer/songwriter/guitarist who calls Skagway, Alaska home. Down's slightly left-of-center music crackles with excitement, and his lyrics bristle with raucous, offbeat humor, irony and occasional tenderness, straddling stylistic fences between minimal blues, folk, rock and country. One will hear the influence of artists like Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Albert Collins and alt country kingpin Steve Earle. Down is an engaging singer and taut guitarist with a discernible streak of non-conformist edginess. Bass guitarist Jerry Scheff, a longtime studio veteran, who counts Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Barbra Streisand, Elvis Costello and The Association among his past clients, plays throughout, and provides a very steady bottom end, along with drummer Lonnie Powell. Highly recommended. Get your copy by writing to Burn Barrel Records, PO Box 121, Skagway, AK 99840, 907/983-3856, or look the Rev. up on the web at www.revdown.com.

The Library: I spent many, many evenings as a teenager and young adult at Bill Graham's Fillmore East, when it was the absolute best spot in the metropolitan New York area to hear live music by cutting edge rock performers. Now, my memories have been reawakened (not that they ever fell asleep, mind you) with the book Live At The Fillmore East by Amalie R. Rothschild with Ruth Ellen Gruber. Rothschild, a graduate film student, was the official Fillmore photographer, who shot thousand of rolls of film during the Fillmore's tenure. Many of them are presented here for the first time, including interesting photos of the Joshua Light Show and the Fillmore house crew at work. Of course, there are live concert shots as well of Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, The Who, Grateful Dead, Allman Brothers and many others, most of whom I saw. For those of you fortunate enough to have attended Fillmore shows, Live At The Fillmore East will bring it all back. And for those of you too young to have been there, it will provide a good idea of the incredible vibe of the Fillmore East. Presently available as a hardcover edition, Live At The Fillmore East will be released in paperback in October at a cost of $24.95. Published by Thunder's Mouth Press, New York, NY. Indispensable for any 60's music fan.