John Prine, Sweet Revenge (side A)

While he's made albums for 40 years, John Prine will always be most associated with his self-titled debut from 1971, which contains many of his best known songs.  1973's Sweet Revenge, his third album, was a relatively modest departure.  The focus here remains Prine's darkly funny and personal lyrics, delivered in his distinctive deadpan persona.  The song titles reveal the humor ("Often is a Word I Seldom Use") and sometimes its darkness too ("Please Don't Bury Me"), and the liner notes have printed lyrics to follow along.  While Arif Mardin's smeary production values were prominent on the debut, Sweet Revenge has a bright and airy sound, apart from the solo live recording of "Dear Abby", which is acoustically incongruous.  Prine's songs follow relatively conventional song structures, which helps to draw the listener's attention to the lyrics, and the excellent musicianship borrows from country without growing idiomatic.  The funny cover photo captures Prine's rich personality — he's slouching in a convertible, wearing lots of denim, and smoking a cigarette.