The latest from Grammy Awardwinning singer/ songwriter/guitarist Dave Alvin reunites him with a couple of former Blasters bandmates—pianist Gene Taylor and his brother, singer Phil Alvin, who duets with Dave on the humorous “What’s Up With Your Brother”—but the musical style on Eleven Eleven is more electric blues than rockabilly. Gritty, bleak, evocative—the world of Dave Alvin’s songs is dark, but his magical playing and sultry voice elevate the mood.
BARBARA SCHULTZ