Robbie Fulks is one of our most consistent and clever songwriters, but is repeatedly undervalued and passed over by tastemakers and music fans alike because he's a country artist. That seven-letter word -- "country" -- drives otherwise "open-minded" music fans to a heightened state of ridicule and contempt; they can handle the tepidly twanged "alternative country" movement, which includes a pedal steel here or mandolin there, but reject true country with extreme prejudice. He seems to be an outsider on both sides of the fence, which while exasperating, allows him to go in any direction of his choosing without considering some expansive fanbase. His latest record appears to be simple enough, but it's really two-sidedly defiant: a little too country for the "alt" crowd and ... well, a little too country for Nashville, too. "Georgia Hard" is a sensational songwriter's record, a swift mix of pathos and wit, where every lyrical and vocal nuance is essential to the bigger picture. And it's populated with a number of airtight genre exercises that speak to the breadth of Fulks's talent. But it's not without Fulks's endearing offshoots into disarmingly humorous fare. If you're new to Robbie Fulks, I recommend starting with "She Took A Lot Of Pills (And Died)" from 1996's "Country Love Songs" and his fantastic rendition of Johnny Cash's "Cry, Cry, Cry" from the "Dressed in Black" tribute album. Robbie Fulks | 
