by Thom JurekThere are many who can claim that since Kris Kristofferson never had much of a singer's voice, his songs were always better served by someone else's interpretation. This view is dead wrong, however. While Kristofferson may not possess a golden throat, that doesn't mean he isn't a great singer. He is. No one sings his material -- with the possible exception of Willie Nelson's interpretation of "Help Me Make It Through the Night" and Janis Joplin's "Me & Bobby McGee" -- better than he does. (No, Johnny Cash's read of "Sunday Morning Coming Down" wasn't forgotten in the list, and it's a good one, but Kristofferson's is devastating.) Broken Freedom Song features the singer/songwriter in a stark yet romantic setting, accompanied only by guitarist and mandolinist Stephen Bruton and Keith Caper on bass. Both musicians provide backing vocals, and Kristofferson accompanies himself on acoustic guitar and harmonica. He has never been in better voice, and the collection of songs here is stellar. Along with "Darby's Castle," the title track, "Here Comes That Rainbow Again," and "Shandy" are four new songs, such as "The Circle," written after two significant events, the story of the disappeared ones (los Olvidados) in Argentina and the late Iraqi artist Layla Al-Attar, who was killed during the Clinton administration's bombing of Baghdad--the pilots missed the target. Al-Attar's name, and those of her husband and children, were never mentioned in the American press. ... Read More...