Chris Hillman & Herb Pedersen – Bakersfield Bound

Bakersfield Bound breaks no new ground, forges no new connections, invents no new styles, makes no bold statements. It is of little sociological, political or even cultural importance. In fact, it has no reason to exist except for the best possible reason of all: It’s really, really good.

Between the Byrds, Flying Burrito Brothers, Manassas and Desert Rose Band, Chris Hillman has been ahead of the curve since the mid-’60s. So it’s understandable that, a couple years after the Desert Rose Band called it quits, he would want to revisit his back pages (and bring along his longtime bandmate Herb Pedersen). A “Pin Ups” for the alternative-country set, Bakersfield Bound consists primarily of covers by the Brothers Louvin, Everly, Wilburn and McReynolds, among others, not to mention Merle Haggard and Buck Owens — rendered entirely, refreshingly, irony-free.

The airy, stripped-down arrangements echo the tough bar-band sound of prime Bakersfield country-rock, embellishing Hillman and Pedersen’s harmony vocals with terrific steel guitar leads (courtesy of their old Desert Rose bandmate Jay Dee Maness) and Hillman’s own bluegrass-flavored mandolin. Whether it’s Hillman and Pedersen harmonizing on “Brand New Heartache”, or Hillman’s plaintive lead vocals on “Playboy” and “Close Up the Honky Tonks”, the album hits a just-right balancing act between updating and paying homage. Bakersfield Bound sounds like it could have been made anytime during the last 30 years.