Time And Water (Adult Swim, 2003)

Last Train Home initially comes across as a typically meat-and-potatoes roots rock outfit. Sturdy rock guitar, tough, but tender vocals, a little pedal steel. But a closer listen reveals that LTH has more up its sleeve.

The terrific lead-off track "Lorelei" ("I can't help that you're my weakness/You can do no wrong/I have learned to love my weakness/Why should I be strong?") establishes the band's core rootsy sound. But the disc proceeds with an impressive stylistic range, encompassing the zippy country rocker "Best Wishes," the bluegrassy "See What Love Can Do" and the soul-saturated "He's The Kind." They even end with the disc with a little Latin instrumental.

Led by singer/songwriter Eric Brace, the band knows just what a song needs. "Once In A While" smoothly segues from a Dobro to a trumpet solo. How many groups can pull that off? They also reinvent the Bill Monroe/Peter Rowan tune "Walls Of Time" as something of a Richard Thompson-style rocker, although Scott McKnight's solo is more roadhouse than Mock Tudor.

Veterans of the D.C. music scene, Last Train Home plays with a confidence commensurate to their amble talents, making this disc well worth taking home. (Last Train Home)