James Talley is that rarest of things these days, a true country singer. Not "new country," not "alt-country," but the real thing. He writes beautifully about real people and the problems of their everyday lives, and sings his songs in a voice that could belong to Willie Nelson's brother (indeed, "Not Even When It's Over" could have been written for Nelson, so perfectly does it suit his style). He can go from a tender family ballad like "Richland, Washington" or "Give My Love to Marie" to a wonderful little slice of history ("W. Lee O'Daniel and the Light Crust Dough Boys") and make it all flow perfectly. A pretty stellar cast helps out, including accordionist Ponty Bone and Texas singer Joe Ely, but it's always Talley who's at the heart of things, remarkable perhaps even more for the perceptiveness of his writing and the poetic lyricism to lines like "Hand of amber, soul of gold/There's a story to be told," which might seem silly from someone else but make perfect sense coming from his lips. He's someone to be experienced when you're tired of all the inanities that often masquerade as lyrics, and want to revel in the quiet joy of his performance. American classics, true American classics, are a rarity, but James Talley is one, and Touchstones, like all his other records, is a gem to be discovered. ~ Chris Nickson