Artist:     Guy Clark

Album:     The Best of the Dualtone Years

Label:     Dualtone Records

Release Date:     03/03/2017

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Sad to realize that Guy Clark, one of the USA’s true music masters, has now been dead for almost a year. But, luckily for us, we now have this simply excellent, 19-track offering capturing the man at his finest, towards the end of his time. Based on the final three albums released by Clark before his passing, these tracks are boiled down into a double-disc release that features much of his remarkable output and also includes a few previously unreleased tracks.

Opening with “Rain In Durango,”’ Clark’s always-warm voice slips effortlessly through “LA Freeway,” “Home Grown Tomatoes,” “Hemingway’s Whiskey,” “The Cape” and much of his impressive back catalogue. At times, Clark’s voice is clearly a bit croaky, creaky and straining, but at all times it retains satisfying glimpses of the man’s absolute lyrical genius and delivery alongside his striking, melodic magic.

This is an album that is more than welcome, a fitting tribute release to a masterful singer-songwriter who never ceased to satisfy and surprise until the day he sadly left us. An absolute must-have release for lovers of modern, masterful Country-cum-Americana music.

—Iain Patience