Moon Child

iTunes Review

Tender and mellow, Moon Child finds Jerry Jeff Walker reflecting on simple pleasures with a philosophical air. His 40-plus years as an outlaw country legend inform every note he sings and plays here. The nostalgic, slightly woozy tone typifying his early work remains present, along with his dry West Texas sense of humor. Walker’s velvety croak lends a bemused mood to “Down in Belize” and “Caribbean Moon,” a pair of tuneful tropical postcards. He offers a toast to enduring love in “This Wedding Day” and “The Vows” and celebrates old-fashioned comforts in a barroom-styled rendition of John Denver’s “Back Home Again.” Not surprisingly, the composer of “Mr. Bojangles” continues to show affection for dreamers and vagabonds — the album’s title song and “The Poet is Not in Today” salute restless free-spirits in search of their muse. Austin-based country singer Christine Albert joins Walker in a soft-lit cover of Susanna Clark’s “I’ll Be Your San Antonio Rose.” No new ground but fans of Jerry Jeff’s work will find this collection a welcome gift from an old friend.