Review: Jonathan Wilson returns to roots for 'Dixie Blur'

Jonathan Wilson, 'œDixie Blur'ť (BMG/Bella Union)

Jonathan Wilson revisits his Southern roots on "Dixie Blur," an album loaded with many gently reflective songs about youth, relationships and loss.

Wilson, whose long resume includes '~70s-inspired solo albums, production work and a touring stint with Roger Waters, recorded the album in six days in Nashville with first-rate session musicians, including legendary fiddler Mark O'Connor, Russ Pahl on pedal steel and bassist Dennis Crouch.

Produced by Wilco's Pat Sansone, the album benefits from a light touch and the group setting that lets the songs' folky, acoustic sounds breathe.

'œDixie Blur'ť opens with a restrained, mellow cover of Quicksilver Messenger Service's 'œJust for Love,'ť setting the mood for much of what follows.

'œ'69 Corvette'ť is full of nostalgia for family, expressing grief amid a flood of memories, while 'œOh Girl" may not have an altogether original title, but its wild middle section, Jim Hoke's harmonicas and lines like 'œMissing someone is a kind of hurt a heart should be grateful to feel'ť make it one of the album's highlights.

O'Connor doubles on violin and acoustic guitar on 'œSo Alive" and he also helps enliven 'œEl Camino Real," which sounds like a bluegrass extravaganza played on the Mexican border.

'œRiding the Blinds'ť cites several blues and rock terms, from 'œC.C. Rider" to the killing floor, while the characters on 'œEnemies" appear triumphant on an anthemic anthem in the style of the late Willy DeVille.

At the end, 'œGolden Apples'ť and 'œKorean Tea'ť wrap themselves in exquisite melodies, as the first wonders about a romance that could have been much more, and the second broods over a burst of fame and fortune that may arrive, or not.

'œDixie Blur'ť is an excellent, wonderfully understated effort from Wilson, who digs into new depths of emotion, but wearing his heart on his sleeve much more than his record collection.