The lead singer and guitar player plays in an electric blues band in Atlanta. The bass player is in New York as one third of the premier acid jazz band of the last ten years. You might say that these guys form a musical odd couple. Truth is, The Wood Brothers is a natural combination, and sharing the same momma and daddy might have something to do with that.

Oliver and Chris Wood grew up together in Colorado to parents who were not musicians. But both brothers became that, anyway. Oliver went down to Georgia to seek his fame and fortune, while Chris went up to New York to do the same.

As a member of that innovative jam-band trio Medeski, Martin & Wood, it's safe to state that Chris found a bigger pot of gold at the end of his rainbow. He's unquestionably a major talent at bass, particularly the stand-up kind. Yeah, we've talked about him here a time or two.

It's not like Oliver lacks talent, though. His blues band King Johnson just doesn't seek to set the world on fire like MMW does. There ain't no shame in delivering honest-to-goodness plugged-in blues, though. In fact, that's an honor in my book.

Oliver as a singer wouldn't win many talent shows; his strained voice often crackles and sometimes he doesn't quite hit the notes. But his tone is somewhere in the zip code of Van Morrison and the laid-back sincerity in his delivery brings to mind the strange allure of Wilco's Jeff Tweedy. Most of the time, that's good enough. He's a decent guitar player and his slide work (as in "Twisted") is actually pretty darned good.

Released earlier this week, Loaded is the Wood Brothers follow-up to their celebrated fraternal debut Ways Not To Lose from a couple of years ago. While their brand of countrified folk-blues as well as MMW keyboardist John Medeski as the producer are carried over, Loaded is somewhat more adorned than Ways Not To Lose.

You'll hear Medeski's subdued organ occasionally along with the Brothers — and on about half the cuts, Kenny Wolleson's drums. There's a small string arrangement here and there. It's still plenty rustic enough though, and that's a welcome relief.

The other big distinction of Loaded is that the majority of the twelve numbers played on this record were co-written by the Brothers. With each living in different parts of the country and heavily involved with their respective bands, composing songs together must have required a big commitment from both.

It's a commitment that has paid off well, though. While Ways got by on charm alone, the Wood and Wood songs on Loaded carry the day this time.