Todd Snider's compressed story-songs are so vivid and knowing that they seem completely plausible, even the one on his new album voiced by a piece of discarded junk mail that dreams of being a tree again. Like many of Snider's hard-luck narrators, dude's just trying to keep hope alive in dire circumstances. There's also a cheerily remorseless murderer ("Unorganized Crime") and a handcuffed, over-the-hill trouble magnet ("Greencastle Blues") unburdening themselves over bluesy guitar and harmonica or ragtime-y piano rock. But the most compelling character may be Snider: a lowlife Randy Newman yet to fully taste the big time. But creatively, he's already there.