State of Grace

For the first time, several of The Holmes Brothers' star friends add talents to the sessions. Levon Helm, drummer/vocalist from The Band, joined by his daughter Amy Helm, makes his first vocal recording since recovering from throat cancer with a heartfelt lead on I've Just Seen The Rock Of Ages. On the Hank Williams classic I Can't Help It If I'm Still In Love With You Wendell trades verses with Rosanne Cash in a mesmerizing performance. And old friend Joan Osborne steps out on a bluesy, storefront church version of Those Memories Of You. The Holmes Brothers interplay of their voices with their guests' is simple, musical magic.

As incredible as they are as interpreters (OffBeat calls them "the best interpretive group working today"), The Holmes Brothers are equally talented songwriters. Exceptional originals Gasoline Drawers, Smiling Face Hiding A Weeping Heart, Close The Door and Standing In The Need Of Love showcase the same true-life stories, depth of feeling, heartbreak and humor found in the timeless songs they choose to cover. With one foot firmly planted in the secular world, The Holmes Brothers layer their songs with rich gospel harmonies and alternately rough-edged and tender vocals, producing what is undoubtedly their richest and most fully realized album.

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Elvis Costello made Nick Lowe's "(What's So Funny 'Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding?" a hard-put question--the Holmes Brothers transform it into a prayer on their spare, passionate tenth album. The disc earns its title by gently framing a clutch of originals and well-chosen covers within their signature blend of old-time gospel singing and roadhouse blues. And zydeco: they transport CCR's "Bad Moon Rising" from the mythic swamps of California songwriter John Fogerty to the authentic bayous of southern Louisiana with an accordion-led arrangement and two-step rhythm. Although these New York City-based juke joint veterans are an electric band, this time out producer Craig Street has surrounded the velvet and grit of their three-part harmonies with acoustic instruments and relaxed tempos. The uncluttered setting magnifies every nuance of their singing, making many of these performances absolutely angelic. And the simpler the better. Their slow, wistful piano-accompanied version of Cheap Trick's "I Want You to Want Me" aches with desire and sadness. Wendell Holmes and Rosanne Cash bare the wounded soul of Hank Williams's "I Can't Help It If I'm Still in Love with You" as they trade verses over acoustic guitars and mandolins. Joan Osborne and Levon Helm contribute guest vocal on other songs, but it's the Brothers' organic union of the spiritual and the corporeal that makes this album so lovely and so thrilling. --Ted Drozdowski