Writing album reviews is, at its core, a futile pastime, for music is a most relative of subjects. Though I may toil ceaselessly to eloquently present an album's strengths or weaknesses in support of my opinion, it remains just that. Not even a truckload of obscure album name- dropping can carve opinion into fact, and individual readers and listeners are bound to glean from the piece a perspective at least slightly different from mine.

Take Alejandro Escovedo's latest release, Bourbonitis Blues. A collection of spare ballads and country- tinged rockers from the estimable Texan songwriter, Blues has been garnering high praise from those who know for a couple of months now. "A splendid release acquitting Escovedo's growing reputation," they write. "His cover of 'Pale Blue Eyes' is a bold and unmitigated success," I read. But what I hear is a little bit different.

The album lacks the focus of Escovedo's previous work, primarily due to a sprinkling of poorly chosen covers. "Irene Wilde" is interesting, but "California Blues" needs some oxygen. Escovedo plays Russian roulette with the aforementioned "Pale Blue Eyes" and, unfortunately, catches the bullet R.E.M. fortuitously avoided in the '80s. (Lesson here for the kiddies: despite their appearance, Lou Reed songs are not toys and must be handled with extreme care.)

These covers idle at the expense of a handful of hard- charging originals. Escovedo exercises his potential and the album finds its success with shimmering smokers like "Guilty" and "Everybody Loves Me," while the earnest confession, "I Was Drunk," showcases his quiet side. Unfortunately, the songs aren't strong enough to bear their heavy burden and what we're left with is a pleasant album that doesn't reach quite high enough to pass the benchmark already set by Escovedo's previous work. Of course, you might feel differently. But, that's the game, brotha.

-Neil Lieberman