Dave Alvin
He used to tour with the Guilty Men. Then it was the Guilty Women. Now Dave Alvin is on the road with the Guilty Ones, featuring members from both previous groups. Throughout the changes, the Americana stalwart's muse has remained as sharp as ever. On his new album Eleven Eleven, Alvin again focuses his terse storytelling skills on lives on the margins, telling gripping tales in numbers such as "Harlan County Line" and "Run Conejo Run." "Johnny Ace Is Dead" and "Gary, Indiana 1959" provide a sense of history, both musical and cultural. There's also an affecting duet with his late pal Chris Gaffney on "Two Lucky Bums." And on "What's Up With Your Brother," Alvin and his older sibling and former bandmate, Phil, deliver a mock blues lament that plays off their famously contentious relationship. - Nick Cristiano