Steady rollin' as it goes, this Ft. Collins, Colo., trio rambles and skips through the history of rock and soul. Planted firmly as the intersection that created rock and roll in the first place (country, blues and r&b), these boys wander all over the map but generally end up in plus territory.

West Side Joe & the Men of Soul Keep on Climbin' (self-released)

Anyone who can evoke thoughts of Lyle Lovett, Los Lobos and Little Feat is worth a listen or few. These songs might blister or shimmer, but they're decidedly alive. I kept waiting for the vibe to fade. It never did.

When folks say no one makes music like this anymore, they're talking about whatever serves as mainstream these days. Most americana acts don't dig nearly as deep into the soul as this trio, and that's a shame. After all, what's more American than Motown?

Some albums are a challenge. This one goes down like Bell's Oberon on a hot summer afternoon. Pretty soon, you want another. I don't know how much more climbin' these boys can do; they've reached some serious heights already. Most satisfying.

Jon Worley