Dwight Yoakam - Dwightyoakamacoustic.net (2000)

Over the course of his career, Dwight Yoakam has both relished and leveraged his "outsider" image. From his earliest days sharing stages with Los Angeles punk bands to his rejection of Nashville's hit machine, Yoakam's career has been smart, quirky, and hip, even as his music looked back to the glories of Buck Owens's Bakersfield sound. Through it all, of course, Yoakam's music has rarely faltered and his natural abilities are often stunning. On Dwightyoakamacoustic.net, a run through Yoakam's greatest hits featuring just acoustic guitar and voice, the only misstep is the cheesy title. Throughout these 25 songs (most of which you know by heart), Yoakam uses the intimacy of the unplugged format to offer new insights into his music. Here, the sad parts are sadder, the sly parts are more mischievous, and the dusty swagger seems even more charming. But it's Yoakam's raw talent and enthusiasm that steals this show. His guitar playing sparkles: from the intricate fills on "I'll Be Gone" to the straightahead stomp of "Nothing's Changed Here," Yoakam proves he knows his way around a six-stringer. And with only that guitar standing between his voice and your ears, these tunes go down easier than free beer. From the Elvislike vamping on "It Only Hurts When I Cry" to his barstool lament on "It Won't Hurt," Yoakam growls, begs, and croons with enough conviction to make this stripped-down collection absolutely essential. --S. Duda