Dwight Yoakam

Dwight Yoakam's third album finds the singer expanding his reach, giving his Bakersfield-inspired honky-tonk a spicy shot of Tex-Mex -- mostly due to Flaco Jimenez's amazingly deft, smoking-hot accordion playing. Buenas Noches... gave Yoakam his first taste of mainstream success with chart-toppers "Streets of Bakersfield" and "I Sang Dixie," and it served as the vehicle that coaxed Buck Owens out of retirement (the two duet on "Streets of Bakersfield"). Despite the dark, soul-torturing nature of many of its songs, Buenas Noches... stands as one of Yoakam's down-and-out best.

With the clout to take chances, Yoakam is out to prove that he's one mean cocksucker. On side one, hopeless jealousy metastasizes into a killing rage, and for damn sure he's more interesting that way--Jerry Lee worshippers may even get hard. Side two's Buck Owens cameo and lament for a boozer dad convince me the revamped persona is for the better. The inspirational number he wrote for his mom convinces me of nothing. (Grade: B+)