Review:  Standing in My Shoes

     On his 24th recording, Kottke gets funky in the studio with bass player Dave Smith and producer Dave Z (of Prince fame) to present something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue (well, maybe purple). Repetitive fingerstyle and slide grooves, layers of percussion, understated organ, Kottke's lovely deep vocals, and some well-placed sitar parts propel this record. New treatments of old pieces include the title track, which originally appeared on Mudlark, and "Vaseline Machine Gun" from Six- and 12-String Guitar. Borrowed songs include a percussive cover of Fleetwood Mac's "World Turning" and a driving rendition of "Cripple Creek." Rock out, Leo! (Private/BMG) --Simone Solondz