"[3] Newbury had made several high profile appearances to promote Lovers, including on the Tonight Show, but began to sour on touring, telling Rich Wiseman of Rolling Stone in 1975, "I'll probably quit performing and just record on an album-to-album basis.

"[7] "Makes Me Wonder If I Ever Said Goodbye" and "Hand Me Another One of Those" both address the classic country theme of getting plastered and drowning sorrows ("Pour some whiskey on my flame and burn another memory") while "People Are Talking" appears to reflect Newbury's growing disenchantment with the music business and play up to his reputation as a hermit.

Rather than throw his lot in with the outlaw movement, Rusty Tracks saw Newbury radically rework several Americana classics like "In the Pines" and "Shenandoah" with such emotive phrasing and powerful singing that he "made the songs his own.

"[8] Reminiscent of his early masterpiece "An American Trilogy", Newbury seamlessly weaves together a quartet of songs that brought the LP to a dazzling conclusion.

Just when Americans were trying to forget who they were by embracing European disco and punk rock as well as dumbed-down versions of both country and jazz, Newbury reveals - much to his own commercial detriment - who and what we are as a nation.

[1]Unlike Newbury's earlier Elektra albums, which featured a small group of top Nashville session players, Rusty Tracks includes contributions from a host of musicians and singers, including keyboardist Bobby Emmons (who co-wrote "Luckenback, Texas"), steel guitarist Buddy Emmons, guitarist Reggie Young, and budding country stars Janie Fricke and Larry Gatlin.