Chris Smither

Between his somnolent baritone, his blurred melodies, and his big easy guitar, Smither does fade into the background--hear him at a distance and you'd never suspect he was a moral philosopher. But in fact he is that even rarer thing, a moral philosopher with good values, and here his songwriting takes over a career marked by killer covers. From the title manifesto--"These are not petty pleasures/It's a dance that slowly glides/In very complicated measures/That can't be simplified"--to "Tell Me Why [italics mine] You Love Me," he thinks on his butt while keeping the beat with his foot. He's worth attending even if you think blues are history. (Grade: A-)