Whereas '90s "alternative country" bands like the Jayhawks, Son Volt and Wilco all tap into a Sweetheart of the Rodeo country-rock vibe, the rarely-touring Freakwater go all the way back to the source. This is pure Carter Family Appalachian moonshine, featuring dobro, fiddle, mandolin and angel-voiced harmonies, courtesy of singers Janet Bean and Catherine Irwin. What makes Freakwater come across as more than just a fine bluegrass revival act on Springtime, their fifth album, is Irwin's songwriting, which approaches Mark Eitzel territory via Hank Williams. "I got a hole in my arm, and I know I'm bound to fail," she drawls in her whiskey-cured alto on "Flat Hand," offering a welcome reminder that harrowing tales of death and addiction go back a lot further than Seattle grunge. (RS 780)

IVAN KREILKAMP