A River Ain't Too Much to Love (2005)

Smog, a.k.a. Bill Callahan — he of the whiskey-wood voice and graceful guitar picking — is at his best when melancholy. Thankfully, he has resumed his mopey ways after the generic rock of 2003's Supper. A River Ain't Too Much to Love is layered with strings, snares, hammer dulcimer, and the quiet bleat of a chanter (reed pipe). It's an exquisite mix that conjures train tracks and piney woods — Southern-gothic images that linger long after the final notes.