The gospel tinted “Maintain” is energetic, though surprisingly, Hudson doesn’t go all fire & brimstone vocally. He leaves the nice touch to the choir to provide & they do. Hudson seems to have respect for his material. Even the third track, “Xanthippe’s Blues,” is not hippie-dippy or silly. It’s Guy Clark warm, gently sophisticated & would make the late Gram Parsons appreciate the country-rock framework. — John Apice via Americana Highways