High, Low & in Between

The late Townes Van Zandt's mystically-tinged vision and raffish charm are on full display in High, Low And In Between (1972), one of the best of his early recordings. Van Zandt's deceptively plain-sounding vocals and folk-rooted guitar work might cause him to be mistaken for an old-time country singer. And it's true that some of his tunes — such as the gospel numbers "Two Hands" and "When He Offers You His Hand" — seem to reaffirm old-fashioned values. More often, though,his work blends Beat Generation-style versifying with a Western outlaw spirit, as shown in "You Are Not Needed Now," "Greensboro Woman," and similar tracks. His poetic touch is particularly sure on "Mr. Gold And Mr. Mud," a dazzling new take on the traditional gambler's song. Most affecting are "To Live Is To Fly" and the album's title track, a pair of melancholy yet oddly hopeful ballads. Teasingly oblique at times and heartbreakingly direct at others, High, Low And In Between testifies to Van Zandt's high stature among the singer/songwriters of his time