Reba Duets MCA Nashville The queen of modern country music invites a stellar group into her court to trade vocals on this slickly satisfying collection. When the least compelling (though hardly throwaway) track on an album is a Reba/Vince Gill collaboration, I’d say you’re in pretty good shape. Relish the high drama of “Because of You” (w/Kelly Clarkson); bask in the cowboy/cowgirl cool of “Does the Wind Still Blow in Oklahoma” (w/Ronnie Dunn); and just close your eyes and see the shiny, happy “Everyday People” helping Reba (accompanied by Carole King) build houses for Habitat for Humanity. Mary Gauthier Between Daylight and Dark Lost Highway If you’re feeling a little more melancholy (or clinically depressed), try whistling this. With its bleak and heart-wrenching takes on loneliness, despair, and one unforgettable holiday visit to a prison, Between Daylight and Dark by Mary Gauthier (pronounced “Go-shay”) is a scary, scary place. You won’t forget the trip, and depending on your state of mind you may not want to go back often, but you won’t get the pictures out of your mind or stop talking about this journey for some time to come. Me, I’m pulling for a Reba/Mary collaboration on the inevitable Duets, Part II. But I'm not holding my breath.
