A healthy serving of Bob Dylan, mixed with some Grateful Dead, a smattering of Lou Reed, a dash of the Allman Brothers and Buxter Hoot’n sounds like a tour of older music, and it’s a pretty good trip. With their self-titled third album, Buxter Hoot’n continues to show a mastery of what is probably best classified as Americana.

Every song on the album is attributed to either one, the other, or both of the Dewald brothers, Vince and Jimmy, except the final instrumental piece, “Curtain”. Each one has a comfortable, lived-in feel, and each seems, in its way, to be about being on the verge of change.

Track by track, we start with “Mariel” that unfolds slowly, guitar and violin supporting the melancholy lyrics. Next is “Out the Door” with Melissa Merrill singing backing vocals and some soaring harmonica with moments of blazing guitar work. “Blue Night” is the third song, but the first single, and it mixes a feeling of the past and the present in a tale about the complications of relationships and of simply letting go to enjoy the ride. Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard is the source material of “Chief Justice Shepard” which questions authority and the justice system. “Thought I Heard You Say” features Melissa singing rich lead vocals and a heavy country and blue feel. And if you were thinking this album didn’t have enough violin, “Go Get Your Gun” certainly remedies that with a tango-like haunting melody. “Cover Band” is an original song about listening to a band playing covers and it feels like an old southern rock song itself. “Spill Some Juice On Me” is a dreamy, relaxed song about arguing and fighting. And “In The Morning” is about waking up in more than one way. Finally, “Curtain”, a brief instrumental, closes the album.

At the end, you have just listened to a superbly crafted and thoroughly moving work of art. A fine addition to any music collection.