Legendary punker's tribute to Bakersfield

I've been listening to a preview copy of Social Distortion's "Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes" and am growing to like the bluesy ballad, "Bakersfield," among about a half-dozen other songs.

I first heard "Bakersfield" in the 2009 live version above when the tale of a lovelorn trucker stuck "a million miles away" from his girl was a work in progress. The studio version of "Bakersfield" is polished and focused but Social D leader Mike Ness has trimmed some of the lyrics that were in the live version, including the reference to Buck Owens:

So I asked myself
What do you suppose ol' Buck Owens would have done in this situation?
And it came to me clear as a bell
He would have gone in house and grabbed that old guitar
And he would have wrote another love song
But not just another love song, people
I'm talking about the love song
The love song of all times
The kind of song that makes a grown man want to break down and cry like a little baby

"Hard Times and Nursery Rhymes," which hits stores Tuesday, visits common Social D themes: loneliness, elusive women, outlaw lifestyles.

Things open with the fiery rockabilly instrumental "Road Zombie," then dive into "California (Hustle and Flow)," a swinging rocker that sounds like an "Exile on Mainstreet" outtake. Gospel-style female backing singers mashed with Social D is an odd mix here -- Ness just seems to be trying too hard to add a bit of flash to his core sound.

The female backing vocals click, however, deeper into the album on the driving rocker "Can't Take It With You."  Other highlights include "Gimme the Sweet and Lowdown," which is classic Social Distortion; and "Diamond in the Rough," a slow-paced rocker featuring some nice guitar breaks. David Hidalgo Jr., son of the legendary Los Lobos star, plays drums, but adds nothing memorable.  

There are a few clunkers, including "Far Side of Nowhere" and the nondescript bluesy rocker "Machine Gun Blues."

"Hard Times and Nursery Crimes" falls short of Social D's best, but given the band's seven-year break between studio recordings this better-than-average punk-tinged rock is like catching up with an old friend.