"Digging a Ditch" starts with Matthews forlornly strumming on his Gibson. His voice breaks in over the chords, hoarse and shy, asking that you "run to your dreams when you're alone."
The digging is for the disappintments, loss and doubts, "where all these questions spinning round my head will die." What sounds like a funereal dirge is a psychological admonition to struggle with your inner ghosts and cast them out, or down, as the case may be.

"Grace is Gone" is simply the best song on the album, rounded out like a hurt and wounded version of the high lonesome sound as sung by Cat Stevens, complete with Lessard's work on the dobro and some wonderful fiddle breaks by Boyd Tinsley. It's a drunken early morning plea to a bartender for "one more drink. Could you make it strong? Because I don't need to think."

The Grace is the name, as well as the feelings, that have left the singer. He equates the loss of his love with the loss of Love, which is grace bestowed on us from outside. This is the mountain music element, combining the musicality (dobro, fiddle), with the worldview of bluegrass pioneers Carl Monroe and Ralph and Carter Stanley, shot through with biblical lessons learned at Sunday meetings. Anyone who has ever been hurt in a quick and unexpected way will nod along as they tap their feet.

"Kit Kat Jam" is a long jam for this band, a nice instrumental break that allows everyone their chops. One thing often lost in evaluating Matthews is his virtousity with guitar. He is more than proficient. He can soar on occasion. The wonderful Burford gets time, as well as Moore, who gets to show off his sax play, to his benefit. Sometime ill used, there is never doubt about his talent and "Kit Kam Jam" shows it off.

The last two songs are disappointing. "Big Eyed Fish" is a slow plodder with Matthews doing a bit of growling, which does not showcase his voice. "Bartender" is overly long and elaborate. The band is at its best when it doesn't try to pack too much into each song.

No one questions the talent of the DMB, or of their ability to craft catchy, emotionally fulfilling songs. If only they could do this for an entire album. But who in music now doesn't wish they could pull that off?