***1/2 Dave Alvin

BLACKJACK DAVID

(Hightone)

Stories of love, death, dreams, and the hope of redemption told with unvarnished eloquence are the motherlode of the greatest American folk music -- whether it be blues, country, mountain, or rock and roll. Dave Alvin's latest, his follow-up to 1994's King of California, embraces all of the above in its blend of electric and acoustic guitars, gently tumbling fingerpicked rhythms and hard-slapped drums, and textural filigrees like harmonium and baritone guitar. Songs like "Abilene," which explores a young woman's hope of escaping a life of dissatisfaction and abuse, and "California Snow," which digs into the fiber of human want, will likely be getting sung decades from now. His blues "New Highway" sounds as if it had been getting sung decades ago. Either way, this album's timeless -- sincere songs about real people, smartly crafted and sung with respect for their characters (even those driven to kill, like the possessed lover of "Mary Brown"). If you thought Alvin would never equal his work with the Blasters, think again.

-- Ted Drozdowski