In Brief

*** 1/2 The Jayhawks, “Tomorrow the Green Grass,” American Recordings. The title’s pastoral promise is reached in this life-filled batch of country rockers. Chiming guitars and soaring melodies build on classic Gram Parsons and the Byrds, while singer-songwriters Mark Olson and Gary Louris match that spirit with such simultaneously earthy and heavenly odes as “Miss Williams’ Guitar” (dedicated to Olson’s wife, singer Victoria Williams) and “Pray for Me.”

Albums are rated on a scale of one star (poor), two stars (fair), three stars (good) and four stars (essential).