D' Lectrified

Clint Black’s “unplugged album” is by no means a pared-down affair. Though Black specified that there were absolutely no electric instruments used on the album, he makes full use of expanded percussion and horn sections, which flesh out these songs in a way that turned-up amplifiers couldn’t. Despite its big, almost orchestral feel, D’lectrified retains the loose and easygoing approach of a family jam session — a quality that is hard to attain in the highly-manicured environment of modern country music. The tracklist is full of covers and duets featuring many of Black’s friends and heroes, including Bruce Hornsby, Steve Wariner and Waylon Jennings. Black’s duet with his wife —“When I Said I Do,” with Lisa Hartman Black — brings a touch of authenticity to what is usually a maudlin gimmick. The curveballs are welcome here, especially a reading of “Galaxy Song” (from Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life), featuring none other than Eric Idle himself. For the first time in history American country music and British absurdist humor have been bridged, and the marriage is surprisingly agreeable.