RayWylieHubbardisstillmakingstab-you-in-the-back-alley-with-a-shivrock& roll at nearly 80 years old. His latest album,Reel 2 Reel 4 Real, is meant to be played loud. Real loud. It’s not just lean and mean but snarly and downright punchy; primer grey Texas garage rock in the proud tradition of the 13th Floor Elevators, Mouse and the Traps, and the True Believers. Over the course of his long career Hubbard has written boatloads of richly poetic,hold-their-own-in-any-serious-songwriter-circlestunnerslike“TheMessenger,”“Balladof the Crimson Kings,” “Dust of the Chase,” and “Stone Blind Horses.” Butthesesongs are all unabashedly for the “Wanna Rock and Roll” set.
