Dan Kening

James McMurtry Candyland (Columbia) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR) Word is that the release of James McMurtry`s follow-up to his critically acclaimed 1989 debut, ''Too Long in the Wasteland,'' was delayed several times. But...

Charlie Rich Pictures and Paintings (Sire) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR)1/2 If you only know Charlie Rich for his early `70s lounge lizard hits ''The Most Beautiful Girl'' and ''Behind Closed Doors,'' ''Pictures and...

Gutterboy Gutterboy (Mercury) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR)1/2 On the cover of its self-titled debut album, Gutterboy looks like a bunch of street toughs in their undershirts, leathers and combat boots, muscles bulging and...

Molly & the Heymakers Molly & the Heymakers (Reprise) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR) 1/2 Hayward, Wis., seems an unlikely location to produce one of country music`s most promising new recording acts, but on...

Evangeline Evangeline (Margaritaville) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR) Evangeline comes up with a winner on its debut that also serves as the first release on Jimmy Buffett`s new Margaritaville record label. A five-woman, one-man...

Level 42 Guaranteed (RCA) (STAR) 1/2 Absolutely huge in its native Britain, Level 42 has never quite equaled its appeal on this side of the Big Pond, and ''Guaranteed'' doesn`t...

Martin Jack Rosenblum The Holy Ranger`s Free Hand (Flying Fish) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR) If Bob Dylan lived in Milwaukee and had a fixation with portraying the biker as the modern-day incarnation of...

Tom Russell Band Hurricane Season (Philo) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR) 1/2 Songwriters don`t get any better than Tom Russell, and on his third album he shows why he`s mentioned in the same breath...

Michelle Shocked Arkansas Traveler (Mercury) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR) 1/2 Taking on the persona of the album`s title, Shocked has taken some of the traditional bluegrass and folk tunes she first learned to...

Jazz Butcher Condition Blue (Sky) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR) The Jazz Butcher-a.k.a. Pat Fish-must be getting tired of his ''cult'' status, as ''Condition Blue'' is by far the Brit alternative rock iconoclast`s most...