Merle Haggard: Chill Factor (Epic)

NEW TRADITION, old tradition, any old way you choose it. Merle Haggard is a country music category unto himself. Any guy that lists his prison record (along with pardon by then-governor Ronald Reagan) in his official bio has gotta be doing something right. Over the years, Haggard has consistently put out good albums, and Chill Factor is no exception. Yet this is more than just another good Merle Haggard record. His gone-to-hell-and-back voice is sounding better the growlier it gets.