While Taylor turns her wrath on a woman who steals her man on "Better Than Revenge," she turns that critical eye on herself in "Back to December," a thorough apology to a former lover she regrets having left behind. Other tunes, such as "Mean" and "Sparks Fly," suffer from generic and sometimes underdeveloped lyrics.

This disc highlights a collection of substantial songs every bit as relevant as they were in Loretta's heyday.

As he moves beyond his rap boundaries into more country-rock fare, this album is a step forward for the Kid.

Darius' brand of country music, much like Radney's, is full of detailed, true-to-life accounts of love, regret and loyalty to childhood stomping grounds.

Producer T Bone Burnett had the foresight to infuse the album's recording with vintage microphones and techniques that would have been used on recording sessions half a century ago.