Silly, serious and musically sublime — sometimes all at once — Robbie Fulks has explored such a range on his studio recordings that his identity might confuse some listeners. Live is where he puts it all together, showing how the same guy can sing with the twisted, twangy phrasing of George Jones or Buck Owens, write with the stiletto-sharp wit of Nick Lowe or John Hiatt, and indulge in a penchant for an occasional Cher cover: “Believe”, a straightforward highlight here, could land him on American Idol.
This two-disc live set isn’t quite like being there — mainly because the first disc downplays the madcap intensity of his interplay with the audience — but it showcases two distinctly different facets of Fulks’ artistry. With about half new material, the first disc features an electric band, beginning with a studio cut that casts these road warriors as the hillbilly equivalent of Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians. The way the disc frames the pop lilt of “Mad At A Girl” between the hardcore honky-tonk of “Fixin’ To Fall” and “The Buck Starts Here” makes perfect sense within the pacing of the set, while the delirious interplay of “Cigarette State” shows the unhinged quality that makes Fulks’ live shows such a mercurial delight.
The acoustic second disc offers more space for the musicians to stretch out and more time for Fulks to work the crowd. With Robbie Gjersoe trading guitar lines and Kelly Hogan joining on the Carter Family closer “Away Out On The Old Saint Sabbath”, the disc attests that even unplugged, Fulks remains a live-wire performer.