Live at Billy Bob's Texas

Nothing at all against Charlie Robison’s studio recordings, but he's deepest in his element when he’s onstage playing Red Dirt country rock for a festive crowd. After all, Live at Billy Bob’s Texas is his third live album. This one opens with Robison and band starting the party on a rowdy cover of Bobby Bare Jr.’s “Nothin’ Better to Do.” Their soaring three-part vocal harmonies provide a nice contrast to the crunchy guitar distortion and grinding Hammond B3 organ. Robison’s party anthem “Good Times” makes for a perfect chaser. Here he gussies up an old-school honky-tonk style with overdriven tube amps that sound borrowed from Neil Young & Crazy Horse. “Feelin’ Good” (from Robinson’s fifth studio album, Beautiful Day) continues with the uplifting melodies, but here he dials back the rock in lieu of turning up the twang. And here we’re reminded that Robison is a Texas native and one of the last few guys out there keeping the Lone Star sound alive and kicking. He even turns Elton John’s “Rocket Man” into a weepy Americana ballad.