The Third Man (Thunderbolt, 2001)

Like BR549 and The Derailers, Greensboro, N. C.'s True Brothers play the kind of music that should get them pegged as a retro act, but the energy and sincerity in their delivery goes beyond just mere museum-quality reproduction into more timeless territory.

For this album, Jacky and Roger True take their love of the brothers Wilburn and Louvin and apply it to an all-gospel recording. Their idols are represented well, with several songs considered true classics of the genre. The Wilburn's title track is delivered in a recitation that would border on cheesy if the result didn't sound so powerfully sincere. They do similarly effective readings of Jimmie Davis' "I Won't Have To Travel This Valley Alone," the Louvin's "The Family Who Prays (Never Shall Part)," the spirited "Working On The Building" and even a few originals that fit right in with the classics from "There's A Gate" to "I'm Living For The Master." Throughout the disc, the bluegrass-style backup from The Countrymen (including Bobby and Mark Atkins) lends an energy and authenticity to the duo's basic sound. (Thunderbolt, 1109 Cleburne St., Greensboro, NC 27408)