After a dozen albums that span the entire history of country music, from bluegrass to honky-tonk, Robbie Fulks still has a painfully low profile. This set probably won’t change that, which is a crying shame. It’s one of his best, a stunner that knocks you out without raising its voice.
As usual, there’s not a single weak track, and many of these tunes are exemplary. “Never Come Home” is the tale of a man preparing to die of cancer at the home of his estranged family. It’s filled with painful details delivered in a matter-of-fact tone that makes them even more painful. A father makes a poignant confession to his son on “Needed,” telling him about the child he abandoned years ago, and hoping that his son doesn’t make the same mistake. “Sweet As Sweet Comes” is a prayer of thanksgiving for a woman who puts up with the wandering of a working musician.
—j. poet
