What I can tell you is this: The couple's voices, burnished by a couple of decades of singing together, blend beautifully, managing to balance precision and emotion without diluting the effects of either. They also write like a dream, ample evidence of which can be found throughout the 13 songs on this disc.

Talented players must gravitate to the pair, as the record boasts a lively assortment of musicians who sound as if they've been playing with the Williamses since they were old enough to pick. But the real key to "Devil of a Dream" can be found in the sound of the music itself. Somehow, Robin and Linda Williams have managed to take all those luminous melodies and well-crafted lyrics, mix in a lot of passionate playing, and produce a record that sounds both from another era and absolutely contemporary.

Someone with sharper analytical skills than mine can probably figure out how they pulled it off. And I'm more than happy to let them -- it gives me time to kick back and marvel at "Green Summertime" and the rest of "Devil of a Dream" one more time.