Del Rio, Texas Revisited: Unplugged & Lonesome

20 years after its 1992 release, Radney Foster’s Del Rio, Tx 1959 remains a special entry in his catalog. His first solo album had the focus and momentum that's unique to the debuts of singer/songwriters, who often have waited years for that first opportunity. Foster’s debut had no filler. If it had any faults, it was that it sounded slightly innocent—the work of a still-young artist—and its production was a tad thin, especially compared with Foster’s subsequent albums. Those qualities are remedied by this all-acoustic anniversary release. Foster’s voice is nearly unchanged in 20 years, but there's a sense of hard-won wisdom in his singing that deepens the performances of these old songs. It’s beautiful to witness the effortlessness of these back-porch versions of “Just Call Me Lonesome,” “Don’t Say Goodbye," and “Louisiana Blue.” The metaphor of songs fitting like an old overcoat may be overused, but there's simply no better description for Del Rio, Texas Revisited.