Postcards From Along the Way (Capitol, 1997)

This is a good-sounding disc. The tight brother harmonies are the first thing you notice, followed closely by great jangly guitars, prominent pedal and lap steel guitar, solid thumping drums, and Benmont Tench's (of Tom Petty's Heartbreakers) keyboards. The sound is rich and full, yet not "overproduced."

Mike and Bob Delevante's sophomore effort is another cohesive blend of roots rock and country twang. These New Jersey brothers may record in Nashville, but they owe as much to fellow Garden-Stater Bruce Springsteen ("Postcards" is produced by E-Street bassist Garry Tallent) as to the Everlys or Louvins. It's a winning combination. As excellent as the disc sounds, though, the lyrics could be stronger. While they do occasionally come up with a nifty phrase or image, the brothers' vignettes of sacrifice and loss often fall short of their mark, relying too much on banalities or derivative subjects. Probably the best song is also the simplest, "Daddy's Cadillac."

How can you not love a song about the joys of "power seats"- especially when it sounds this good.