By Sylvie Simmons

(Four Stars)

Expansive fourth from the North Carolina group is the Americana column's 100ths album of the month!

According to singer-writer Dave Wilson, Chatham County Line began as a way "to hang out and drink beer." Which could account for their ability to shift between sounding tight (spirited bluegrass Clear Blue Sky) and way loose (boozy, honky tonk jam Let It Rock). Though the four-men-mike shows and acoustic instruments (guitar, banjo, fiddle, mandolin mainly) have seen them tagged as neo-traditionalists, their way of going about their music is far more circuitous and interesting. Opening song "Chip of a Star," for instance, is an unclassifiable mix of alt rock and bluegrass with a nu-folk-meets-alt-rock vocal. A very fine song, it sets a high standard that much of the album manages to live up to, particularly on dark folk ballad "Birmingham Jail," swaying, Ryan Adamsy "Sweet Eviction" and Eaglesy - but good Eagles - "One More Minute." Country chanteuse Caitlin Cary guests.