Kicker Town

Mark Seliger is one of the most accomplished rock photographers ever – his credits include 125 covers for this magazine alone. Turns out the 54-year-old Texas native has an impressive side gig, too: fronting the L.A. country-rock band Rusty Truck. On their second LP, Seliger's well-crafted songs are backed by fine-grained guitar textures from great players like ex-Son Volt ace Eric Heywood. Influences run from Hank Williams to the Allmans, and Seliger focuses on evocative images – some reliable (a diner at closing time, an old stereo), some less so (a three-legged dog spotted on a road trip in Mexico) – to create a vivid album based in unflashy traditionalism.