Things Fall Apart (Checkered Past, 1997)

Slide over a cup o' Joe, a cheeseburger and a slice of pie and plunk a quarter in the jukebox for this festive group of truck-stop tunes, courtesy of the Ben Vaughn Group's former drummer. The band, which at times includes Vaughn, Wilco's Ken Coomer and back-up songstress Alison Moorer serves up juicy slabs of twangy guitar and husky vocals, with lyrics mostly focused on a personal philosophy of sticking by friends, looking out for love, and getting out when life catches you in the switches.

Highlights include "Waltzing On The Titanic," a beautiful dance performed on the most fallible of structures, and "What Went Wrong," taking the listener on a long, bumpy ride before getting to a most pointed punchline. If Bob's lyrics aren't always the most polished, the music more than makes up for it. This is a good, greasy lunch. Take a seat.