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...