*** Old 97's

FIGHT SONGS

(Elektra)

Forgive the Old 97's, father, for they have sinned. An established alterna-country band with three discs under their made-in-Texas belts, this fresh-faced quartet flaunt their pop sensibilities all over album number four. At times, there's hardly a hint of twang; purists no doubt will flock to their shows just to shout, "Judas." But frontman Rhett Miller keeps right on strumming, proud of his band's smooth evolution from an indie country band in Bloodshot's insurgent country stable to a major-label act with enough melodic sense to produce would-be hits like the circular, harmony-filled "Murder (Or a Heart Attack)" and the winsome pro-adolescent rave-up "Nineteen." Any Kinks fans willing to allow an alterna-country convert to invade their sacred pop territory will revel in cuts like the Western baroque "Busted Afternoon" and the love song "Oppenheimer." There's a stomp or two to connect the Old 97's to their rootsy past, but those pale next to mini-masterpieces like "What We Talk About," a forceful waltz that finds Miller celebrating literary hero Raymond Carver against a gritty folk-rock backdrop that brings to mind the classic Byrds. In other words, the Old 97's haven't crossed over so much as they've learned to walk the line.

-- Richard Martin