*** Bob Woodruff, “Dreams and Saturday Nights,”...

*** Bob Woodruff, “Dreams and Saturday Nights,” Asylum. The country newcomer (who appears at the House of Blues on Aug. 19) is a literate observer of life’s gritty realities, and his underdog’s-eye view makes him a spiritual descendant of Gram Parsons. If Woodruff has a fault, it’s that he may have too much to say--and often does. Musical textures are impressively varied, from Creedence-like swamp-rock to heartland rock to pure honky-tonk. New albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (excellent).