The Mendoza Line are one of those bands that consistently crank out good works just about every year (this is actually their 7th album since 1995 in fact) but are hardly noticed by listeners and even critics as well. They started in the Athens, Georgia art-rock scene with contemporaries such as Neutral Milk Hotel and Elf Power, but have since moved to New York and in the last three years or so focused more on an alt-country sound. Fronted by the husband and wife duo of Timothy Bracy and Shannon McArdle, Bracy's Paul Westerberg meets Steve Earle twang are perfect match with McArdle's Neko Case intertwined with Sheryl Crow croon. They each take their turn singing solo numbers, but often Full of Light and Full of Fire works best when they duet together on fine numbers such as the transcendant tongue-in-cheek "Catch A Collapsing Star." There hasn't been much alt-country out there to speak of lately, so if you've had a hankerin' for it, and you're so over that new Ryan Adams, get a line on Full Of Light And Full Of Fire, you won't be disappointed.