Robin & Linda Williams

The Williams’ seven releases in the last 12 years combine traditional songs with ones they penned. This Garrison Keillor-produced set presents 13 covers with minimal accompaniment, and digs even deeper into the soul of American music. Though Robin has some terrific vocals—Hank Williams’ “Ramblin’ Man,” “The Blues Come Around”—it’s really Linda’s album. It opens with an all-verses version of “Wildwood Flower,” with a lover’s mix of anger and betrayal sentient in her voice. Merle Haggard’s haunting “Hungry Eyes” is also powerful, but the highlight is the WWI parlor song “Keep the Home Fire Burning.” The performance transcends nostalgic jingoism, cutting straight to the core of loss and faith in wartime, all with an economy of vocal ornamentation. It left my eyes wet for the right reasons. If we have any two voices better at rendering Americana music, I haven’t heard them. This is their masterpiece.