Johnny Dilks & His Visitacion Valley Boys - Acres Of Heartache (1999/2020)

The soul of 1940s country music and the spirit of the three Hanks (Williams, Thompson, Snow) shine brightly and warmly in the hands of this crack Bay Area outfit. Dilks's sharp, strident voice and fierce yodels actually sound more like Williams acolyte Wayne Hancock than Williams himself (not necessarily an insult), and the band deftly mixes elements of honky-tonk, Western swing, country boogie, and even early rockabilly. Paul Wooton's lead guitar and Billy Wilson's steel provide plenty of instrumental muscle to support Dilks's very nifty originals while Brian Godchaux's prominent fiddling and mandolin playing add a Willslike dimension that similar acts such as Big Sandy's super Fly-Rite Boys lack. Though the music is sure to be tagged with a retro label, Dilks's quick-witted, light-hearted lyrics and his band's topnotch chops make this fine debut sound quite a bit fresher and livelier than most hot modern country. --Marc Greilsamer