Under the Wishing Tree
CHARLIE SEXTON SEXTET
(MCA)

Sexton was raised up in Austin, Texas, so it's only fitting that his Under the Wishing Tree is a modern roots-rock classic, albeit a perversely overlooked one. Working with co-producer Malcolm Burn, Sexton crafted a dozen songs that focus more on evoking a roots sensibility than re-creating authentic Americana. There's a gauzy feel to a number of the tracks, an appealing smolder — his vocals a breathy moan — that render them anti-folksy. And then up pops a blues-rock banger like "Railroad." As usual, Sexton's splendid guitar work is integrated and understated.

This article appears in Apr 9-15, 2008.

Eric Snider is the dean of Bay area music critics. He started in the early 1980s as one of the founding members of Music magazine, a free bi-monthly. He was the pop music critic for the then-St. Petersburg...