Two Roads: Live In Australia

Recorded during a series of three nights in Sydney and Melbourne, Two Roads: Live in Australia is Butch Hancock and Jimmie Dale Gilmore in a pared down setting -- two voices, two acoustic guitars, and a batch of terrific songs. The pair -- who first recorded together in the early '70s with fellow Lubbock native, Joe Ely as the Flatlanders -- opens appropriately enough with the A.P. Carter standard, "Hello Stranger," before proceeding through various selections from Hancock's extensive catalog, as well as Gilmore's "greatest hits" ("Tonight I Think I'm Gonna Go Downtown" and "Dallas"), a Jimmy Rogers classic, and one tune each by Lucinda Williams and Aussie native, Paul Kelly, who guests on both. It's a given that the material is strong throughout, with it's combination of traditional and progressive Texas country, and Dylanesque folk, but there's also a warmth, intimacy and energy to these performances, whether it's Gilmore and Hancock effortlessly trading verses or simply supporting one another. And while this may be their first official full-length recording together in 18 years, the fact that there is such a deep history between the two, and that they've often turned up on-stage together, as well as on each other's recordings in one way or another over the years, makes this a natural, sometimes ragged but always right effort. Fans of both artists should thoroughly enjoy Two Roads, but those coming to either Gilmore or Hancock's work for the first time would be better served by checking out records such as Own & Own and Eats Away the Night (Hancock), the Flatlanders' More a Legend Than a Band, and After Awhile and Spinning Around the Sun (Gilmore) first. But once acquainted with a few of these, treat yourself to this simple yet charming live collection by a couple of Texas' finest. ~ Brett Hartenbach