Paradise

Paradise doesn't quite match the high-standard set Ridin' the Hi-Line, but it's hard to deny that Wylie and company have turned out another excellent album. Gone are the joyous whooping clarinets, and although one misses their energy, there are many fine moments here, especially Wylie's adaptation of an old Badger Clark cowboy poem, which he sets to music for the lovely "To Her." Other highlights include Dylan's "Girl From the North Country," the Latin shuffle of Hank Snow's "The Gal Who Invented Kissin'," and a return to country-rock for "Hooked on Honky Tonk" and "Yodel Boogie." Elsewhere, though, the album is reminiscent of Total Yodel! in its simplicity and lulling melodies. There is enough spice and gallop to keep his dancers moving, but the overall impression is a slower, gentler album.