First, unplug the electricity, except for the microphones. No, this isn't some sappy acoustic setup that's going to put you to sleep. Hang with me here.

Get a bunch of talented, free-wheeling musicians from the Austin, TX area and put them and their instruments into an old house.

Add one part blues, one part old-time jazz and one part Western swing. Skim any excessive seriousness off of the surface and add a liberal splash of humor. Shake briskly and enjoy. And I do mean enjoy.

Normally, I'd be wary of a band with the word "Spank" in their title, and the initials A.S.S., but I'd heard some good things about these guys, and I'm glad I did. This is some great stuff, and I'd have to recommend it to just about anyone.

The sound is jazzy and swingin', and has a very old-time flavor to it. It is also definitely Texan. This is a good thing. As I mentioned above, the set is all acoustic, including stand-up bass, mandolin, banjo, resonator guitar and woodwinds. There's even washboard and kazoo on some tracks. If I had music skill, I could see myself playing with a group like this, just singing songs and having a great time.

There's not a bum track on the disc, but here are my highlights:

• If I Had Possession Over Judgement Day - Nothing fancy here. A masterful performance of a Robert Johnson gem.
• Superchief - A great pluckin' and toe-tappin' number. You'll feel like you're back in the 30's or something.
• Startin' to Hate Country - A wonderful tribute to the good country of the past, and a lament about the state of the art form today. "Startin' to hate country, but I still love cowboy songs." Nice call-and-response near the end.
• Funny Cigarette - Why do my reviews always have a song about weed? I swear that I don't touch reefer. Regardless, this is a hilariously naughty song in classic country style.
• Hometown Boy - Haunting blues, penned and sung by Austin musician Guy Forsyth.

This is a CD of swingin', shoutin', stompin' good times. If I ever am in the vicinity of these people when they're in concert, I've just gotta hear 'em.

Rating: 5 out of 5