Music DVDs

This week's music DVDs reviewed

MERLE HAGGARD
Legendary Performances Shout Factory ***

Merle Haggard is one of the greats of old-school country music, and his career path is virutally mythic: born to grinding poverty, troubled teenage years, spells in reform school and prison, and then released into an era of unprecedented activity in conservative, mainstream country music. This DVD gathers almost two decades worth of rarely seen performances, chronologically archived by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. If your thing is retro-country (with Haggard performing Branded Man, Mama Tried, I Started Loving You Againand his signature Okie from Muskogee), then this is nigh on perfect. Extras include Haggard's induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame and a solid, amusing interview featurette. www. countrymusic halloffame. com

LUCINDA WILLIAMS
Live from Austin, Tx New West ****

She's country, but only if you like country's rougher, frayed edges. Lucinda Williams is Joni Mitchell without the sophistication but with more than a hint of the bitterness, and if you haven't seen her live shows then, brothers and sisters, you will like this. From the high quality Live from Austin, Tx series, this features a wide array of tunes from the Williams's back catalogue. Every song, from the languor of I Just Wanted to See You So Badto the romance of Passionate Kissesto the bile of Changed the Locks, is imbued with a voice that seeps hard- earned experience. Musically, it's a tough/tender divide, with Williams and her band playing to their individual strengths. Visually, it's a straight-ahead gig – like Williams herself, the show comes without bells or whistles. What you see is what you get, and what you get is quality, grit-driven music. www.lucinda williams.com