Brewed In Texas (Compadré, 2002)

This compilation takes a stab at capitalizing on the latest resurgence of Texas music, and for good and ill offers a decent cross-section of that state of affairs. The Compadre collection rests on a thematic hook - it collects songs with titles referencing drinking, or drinking establishments, or the drinking life -

A handful of artists that are big on the fratboy and other Texas music circuits show up: Cooder Graw, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Eleven Hundred Springs, Roger Creager, Reckless Kelly, Kevin Fowler and Jason Boland. The disc also features nods to veterans and better-knowns: Jerry Jeff Walker, Rusty Wier, Wayne Hancock, Beaver Nelson and Slaid Cleaves.

The disc includes some unreleased material, notably a fine honky tonk weeper, "One Bud Wiser," by former Lonestar singer John Rich and a take on Haggard's "I Think I'll Just Stay Here and Drink" featuring Fowler, Boland and Clay Blaker, and in general, is a bit heavy on the honky tonk.

It would too much to expect any compilation to completely capture the variety of Texas music, but this provides a good introduction to some of its current incarnations.