Always pining for a rustic American past, Langhorne Slim ups the ante with his old-timey obsessions on Lost at Last, Vol.

1.

Often sounding as if it's designed as a respite from the digital clamor of modern living, Lost at Last, Vol.

1 is filled with loose ends and mess.

The rhythms rollick; the harmonies sometimes don't quite mesh; and there are hopping squeezeboxes, the occasional saloon piano, and a bunch of front-porch strumming -- all signifiers of a different time and place.

As a vibe, it's appealing, enough so that it still sounds good when the songs don't catch hold, which is a little too often for a singer/songwriter deep into his career.

Even if Langhorne Slim can't come up with the tunes to suit his sound, that sound is bewitching enough to make Lost at Last, Vol.

1 worth a listen.