Perpetually blazed out troubadour Todd Snider delivers a solid set of tunes on Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables, his tenth studio album of original material since 1994. Probably his strongest outing since The Devil You Know – and possibly even since East Nashville Skyline – Agnostic Hymns & Stone Fables is full of just that. Thematically, the disc revolves around those two themes, with heavy emphasis on the fallout of recent economic hardships south of the 49. Hard luck tales abound. “New York Banker” is a beauty about a high school teacher who loses his pension. “Digger Dave’s Crazy Woman Blues” is a meandering, stuttering talking blues about a gool ol’ boy from Alaska who makes just one wrong move in a life-time of toeing the line between incarcerated and free. Snider, who just released an album of Jerry Jeff Walker tunes, tips his hat on this one to Jimmy Buffet with a beauty version of “West Nashville Grand Ballroom Gown.” All in, a great album, well worth repeated play. I for one am looking forward to hearing about Digger Dave and all the other characters here this July at the Folk Fest. (Aimless Records, toddsnider.net) Sheldon Birnie