The Boxmasters

On the surface, the suitably named Modbilly repeats the Boxmasters' debut recipe: one disc self-penned, wise-guy honky-tonk; one disc reinterpreted old jukebox fodder. But though the peaks ("That's Why Tammy Has My Car," "You Crossed the Line") are laugh riots, the Thornton known elsewhere as Billy Bob is now braving less emotional distance from his drunken heartbreak. The tone is darker, the Telecaster twang more surf-ish, the arrangements more '60s pop-rock jangle. And the covered lost classics (from Del Reeves to Glen Campbell to the Turtles) frequently involve mental breakdowns.