'That sounds incredibly flippant, but it's actually the most profound thing I could acknowledge as the motivation for making music. joy,' Yoakam says, ruminating on his artistic agenda of late. Coming off something of a self-imposed sabbatical - it's the singer's first set of originals since 2005's Blame The Vain - it's the sound of an artist rediscovering and reaffirming his commitment to music.
Yoakam seems to thrive on pitching curve balls, and his adventurous and deeply introspective new album, 3 Pears, might be his most rewarding effort yet.