Halcyon Days

Hornsby's previous album, "Big Swing Face", was notable for a relative lack of Hornsby's signature piano. As if to compensate, Halcyon Days, returns the instrument to star billing, especially on "Hooray for Tom" and "Heir Gordon", which hardly feature any other instruments both are sprightly, sarcastic tracks that also evoke Randy Newman. Most of Halcyon Days, however, sees Hornsby's piano and vocals woven into the familiar glossy textures that made his name. "Mirror on the Wall", in particular, has the ring of an inescapable radio hit about it. --Andrew Mueller