Last summer, Charlie Louvin performed at the Americana Music Association Conference in Nashville, and it was a throwback to a world of stellar harmonies in support of classic country sentiments. Louvin, one half of the Louvin Brothers, has a voice that shows its 70-plus years, but its weathered quality only made the songs’ sentiments sound more real and less like performances. Charlie Louvin occasionally has moments that echo the pure beauty of that show, but producer Mark Nevers has studded the album with guest stars—George Jones, Elvis Costello, Will Oldham, Jeff Tweedy and more—that almost inevitably distract from Louvin. There’s no question that the songs remain his and are affecting, but it’s hard not to be distracted by the co-stars in a way that didn’t happen with the faceless band behind him in Nashville.

That aside, Nevers’ production is generally discrete and keeps the stage clear for the singers, and the songs embrace the quintessential country concerns—life, love and the afterlife, all phrased in humble, unassuming language. With each listen, the guests become less obvious with the exception of Costello, whose distinctive voice is impossible to miss, no matter the context. If you can’t see this country legend live, then this album is a more-than-credible second-best.