Acclaimed for their savage sin and redemption-laced country noir, death valley blues and mountain gospel cocktails, David Eugene Edwards and his bedraggled compadres give live performances pitched on the edge of hysteria, and this raw, roaring document recorded in 1998 captures them going for the jugular. But inflexible covers of Gun Club, Creedence and Joy Division songs show that even their patented brand of wild abandonment has its limitations.

3 stars out of 5