Thank God Dwight Yoakam came along when he did. If he had come along a few years later he would have been considered not "mainstream" enough, and because of his lack of "hat-act" bubble gum-ism, his stunning bluesy rockin' country would have been banished to the annals of "Alternative Country" where such luminaries as Lucinda Williams, Gillian Welch, Emmylou Harris and Steve Earle pine away, sadly and undeservedly, only appreciated by a handful of cult classics fans. Dwight may be the ONLY superstar on modern country radio who's breathtakingly fresh music and ambient voice will DEFINITELY not be mistaken for anyone else.

This glorious uniqueness shines almost blindingly on every last track on his latest album. Notable is the fact that Dwight has written every single one of these songs, and as much as his earlier songs are wonderful,
after listening to this album, one might wonder what he needed anyone else for.

The opening track, "Same Fool," has Dwight's trademark intoxicating
mixture of Buck Owens and Elvis written all over it. The first single from the album, " Things Change," is another masterpiece melding of clanging guitars and intelligently expressive lyrics. In "Yet To Succeed," Dwight seems to channel the Jack Green opera type songs, like "There Goes My Everything."

Dwight's range, as well as emotional effect, go through the roof on this sure to be #1 weeper. "I wouldn't Put It Past Me" dares you NOT to
shimmy to its irresistible beat and feel. "These Arms," " Only Want You More," "I'll just take These" and "That's Okay," again channel 60's country through late 50's Elvis, and come out with tunes that are fun, while still deep and well-made. They border on perfect without being self-conscious.

The title cut, "A Long Way Home," is an ironic look for the positive in the face of heartbreak. The first 10 tracks on the album are all variations on
the same basic, solid musical theme. Ten stunning pieces cut from the same diamond if you will, so Dwight could have easily coasted through the last three cuts in the same fashion and still had a dynamite album.

But, the fact that he DIDN'T do that, shows what a consummate artist the
brooding fellow in the white hat is. "Listen" is a haunting, and almost
symphonically produced, gem that takes Dwight's electric honky-tonk and sends it to Phil Spector land. "Traveler's Lantern" has to be the only tune ever that has bluegrass Legend Ralph Stanley on the same album with enough electric current in all the hooked-up guitars to light up downtown Nashville. The song is an aching gospel lament Dwight penned, that the masterful Mr. Stanley backs him on. It's so pure and aching, it makes you want to think Dwight didn't really write the song, but instead, must have heard it in some Baptist church in the hills somewhere.

The stunning album concludes with an almost direct Elvis knockoff
that in ANYONE else's hands would sound like parody or caricature. Instead the ironically named last song, "Maybe you Like It, Maybe You Don't," is evidence of Mr. Y's modesty. We don't like it Dwight, we LOVE it! And we Love the whole damn album!!! The only think that keeps it from a five, is that at around 42 minutes, we want MORE!!!! Any album that inspires a reviewer to lament for more to listen to is something everyone else should be running right out to get ASAP. Dwight does it again folks. If this album isn't as close to perfect as anything you will hear this year (or any other year for that matter), then you must have Bakersfield dust in your ears.