"The River in Reverse" by Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint; Verve Forecast

Nine months after Katrina comes this welcome offspring, an unlikely pairing of musical masters united in anger and determination over what happened to New Orleans.

It's an inspired work. Costello embraces the loose soulfulness of Toussaint, one of New Orleans' musical kings. The pianist Toussaint, the Crescent City Horns and guitarist Anthony "AB" Brown blend with Costello's backing band as if they've been working together for decades.

The disc seethes with anger at the Bush administration, particularly the title cut: "Count your blessings when they ask permission, to govern with money and superstition." Just as impressive are the bubbling blues of "On Your Way Down" and "International Echo," seemingly a story of English boys trying to replicate music from the States, displaying an unusually open and playful Costello.

Costello's most recent musical trip down south, on "The Delivery Man," proved an important tutorial. While he sounds at home with the vocals, it would have been nice to hear Toussaint take the lead on more than one of the disc's 13 songs.

Otherwise, it's a true partnership. Seven songs are raided from Toussaint's back catalog, five are co-written and one, "The River in Reverse," is solely a Costello composition.