If Neil Young released Buried Treasures, it would be hailed as a return to form.
And when Drive-By Truckers evidence similarly unselfconscious immediacy, we praise their ability to inhabit characters.
But Rich Hopkins is for real, a regular guitar-toting guy who grew a conscience in the Peace Corps, cowriting his best songs to date with his hair-salon-owner girlfriend, Lisa Novak.
The Tucson troubadour’s 28th studio set offers Crazy Horse-style workouts and plangent psychedelic feedback jams, but, as shown by the bleakly beautiful Friend of the Shooter, they are increasingly engaged with the southwest’s dark underbelly.
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
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John Robins, Comedian
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
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Al Murray, Comedian
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Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Sweeping Curves, Twitter
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Brighton Argus
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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A D Ward, Twitter
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James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Richard Herring, Comedian
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Etienne, Chortle.com
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Twitter
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Len Firewood, Twitter
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Fowkes81, Twitter
Fowkes81, Twitter
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Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Sidsings000, Youtube
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
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Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk