If a number of songs on the wildly popular O Brother soundtrack conspired to raise depression-era spirits with visions of big rock candy mountains and unflagging sunshine, Ralph Stanley"s chilling "O Death" stood firm in reminding folks of just what really lay in store. It"s no surprise, then, that Stanley"s Columbia/DMZ debut continues in the same pessimistic vein, recounting the ancient mountain themes of false-hearted lovers, knife-wielding suitors, and a peace found only in the afterlife. With producer T Bone Burnett again at the helm and O Brother alums Norman Blake and Evelyn and Suzanne Cox on guitar and harmony vocals, Stanley keeps more to an old-time country sound than bluegrass. In wrapping his raw, world-weary whelp around a cache of traditional offerings, plus his own "Great High Mountain" and Hank Williams"s "Calling You," he proves a direct link to a rural America and a primal backwoods way of life largely forgotten. There"s power in these songs, and a spookiness in his performance. Be prepared to be haunted. --Alanna Nash