Brute.

Why did an indie Americana icon like Vic Chesnutt enlist an uncool jam band to back him? The answer is easy: Chesnutt sees Widespread Panic for what they are -- one of roots rock's best outfits. The group proves it on Nine High a Pallet (which is credited to the alias Brute). Chesnutt wanted to work with real American rockers, dudes with the skills and heritage to channel the Allmans and the Band. The singer even lets the Panic stretch out on the nine-minute "Protein Drink/Sewing Machine."

The songs on Vic Chesnutt's albums are so good he sometimes puts them across, which is more than anybody can do for the songs on Widespread Panic's albums. But that doesn't stop the latter from touring or the former from wishing he could eat his reviews, and so this cross-inspirational fluke will probably never be anything more than the ace Athens oddball-mainstream one-off it is. Chesnutt provides the cocked eyebrow and fancy dreamwork, the band turns his strums into tunes, and who the hell is going to notice? Sure "Good Morning Mister Hard On" is really about his matins, but that won't boost it into heavy rotation. These days, the path of commercial expedience would be to make it about his banana. (Grade - A-)