Quirky southern rockers Drivin'N'Cryin' followed up their best album, 1991's masterpiece "Fly Me Courageous," with the album that is easily their worst. Whereas "Courageous" is loaded with top notch songwriting and killer hooks, "Smoke" is marred by a decided absence of the same. Even when it starts to take off, like on the intermittentaly powerful "Patron Lady Beautiful," or the beautifully accoustic "What's the Difference," inappropriate sonic intrusions mar the groove. It's as if the band deliberately sabotaged their strengths in an effort to avoid merely repeating their past success. The second half is considerably better than the first, and the best song on the disc is rocking "Whiskey Soul Woman."Overall, a failed effort that marked the beginning of DNC's unfortunate fade into obscurity. At their best, they were a force to be reckoned with.