Lyle Lovett JOSHUA JUDGES RUTH

Personnel includes: Lyle Lovett (vocals, acoustic guitar); Dean Parks (acoustic guitar); Ray Herndon, Billy Williams (electric guitar); Leo Kottke (guitar); Jay Dee Maness (pedal steel guitar); John Hagen (cello); Plas Johnson (tenor saxophone); Matt Rollings (piano); Leland Sklar (bass); Russ Kunkel (drums); Ricky Lee Jones, Emmylou Harris, Sir Harry Bowen, Sweet Pea Atkinson (background vocals).
Producers: George Massenberg, Billy Williams, Lyle Lovett.
Recorded at Ocean Way Recorders and Conway Studios, Hollywood, California between September 1991 & January 1992.
In the wake of the stylistic curveball that was LYLE LOVETT & HIS LARGE BAND, the Texas singer/songwriter took the opportunity afforded by his newfound fame to indulge in as many different musical styles as he pleased on JOSHUA JUDGES RUTH (an album title drawn from three books of the Bible, that slyly tips its hat to Lovett's penchant for detailing woman trouble). He combines the progressive country leanings of his first two albums with the jazzy style of his previous album, but along the way he throws in gospel and R&B influences as well.
No one can describe heartbreak from a cool, literary distance like Lovett, and "She's Already Made Up Her Mind" and "She's Leaving Me Because She Really Wants To" are breakup songs worthy of minimalist author Raymond Carver. On the lighter side, "Church" is a light-hearted gospel romp that's remains one of Lovett's biggest crowd-pleasers, and "She Makes Me Feel Good" closes the album on the closest thing to an up note that a lovable cynic like Lovett can muster.

• Format: CD
• Genre: Rock and Pop