It's easy to see why this album has been such a hit locally. For starters, it's one of the cruisiest country albums around -- even when they pick up the the pace (Dwight Yoakam's It only hurt's when I cry ) the groove is laid back and strong. Another secret ingredient is vocalist Wendy Goyen - her jazzy intonations and melodic nuances add sophistication and class to what could have otherwise been straight-forward country album. The best example is Willie Nelson's Crazy, with Goyen and the talented players behind her straddling the original country ballad and the numerous jazz versions beautifully. Which brings us to the final element that makes this enjoyable - song selection. While it is disappointing there's not more than one original on Side of the Road (bassist Peter Bird's catchy Foolish Heart), it's hard to go past Lost in Suburbia's takes on Shane Howard's "Talk of the town" or Willie Nelson's "Crazy".
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