Solitary singers wielding acoustic guitars are the musical equivalent of a glass of water. It's a means of expression that boasts more than its share of boring, flavorless, transparent hacks, and while there's bound to be the occasional draught of earthy, lukewarm sludge, it's hard to get passionate about disliking all but the most inane troubadour. Every now and then, however, a refreshing wellspring of talent emerges, like a Bob Dylan or a Woody Guthrie.





While John Darnielle, aka The Mountain Goats, occupies a plane somewhat below Dylan and Guthrie's, his recent concept album, "All Hail West Texas," is a low-tech, long-on-intellect remedy for overproduced, dumbed-down sugar pop as well as intricately arranged, multi-instrumental art-rock. Sometimes a glass of water is all that will do. --Eric Wittmershaus (eric@flakmag.com)