Richard Buckner: Since

Richard Buckner's 1996 major-label debut, Devotion + Doubt, was an artistic triumph, a brilliant, gorgeous collection of wounded ballads that exposed his cracking voice and evocative songwriting to a small but dedicated group of critics and alt-country fans. The new Since diversifies Devotion's approach with some more rock-leaning arrangements, but the results are still mostly magnificent. Buckner's strained, battered warble works better in service of plaintive acoustic ballads ("10-Day Room") than brooding electric rockers ("Believer"), but none of these songs is marred by a single false sentiment or wasted moment. (Not one for repeated choruses or blowsy arrangements, Buckner fits 16 songs onto a 37-minute album.) "Ariel Ramirez" is both quiet and disquieting, exemplifying Buckner's gift for speaking volumes with small patches of silence, while "Goner w/ Souvenir" beautifully mixes intense energy with quiet ache. "Raze" evokes resignation and sadness, but Buckner's fluttering acoustic guitar gives it a strangely uplifting sense of playfulness. Since doesn't offer rewards quite as instantly as its predecessor does, but it's no less satisfying. Buckner is a legend in the making, especially if he keeps turning out albums as custom-tailored for late-night driving as this marvelous piece of work.