"ZEKE AND THE WHEEL," R. B. MORRIS (KOCH);

"CHICKS AHOY," THE OPPOSABLE THUMBS (DISGRACELAND)

R.B. Morris and Todd Steed are two excellent music artists who have been part of Knoxville's musical landscape for the past 20 years. Sometimes underappreciated, both have released new albums that rank among the year's best.

Morris' local artistic pursuits have ranged from co-publishing the arts paper The Hard Knoxville Review to his play and film, "The Man Who Lives Here Is Loony," to his sporadic poetry readings.  Morris garnered national recognition with the album "Take That Ride" (released on John Prine's O Boy Records), receiving raves from eminent critics including Dave Marsh and legendary songwriters including Prine and Tom T. Hall.  It was an album that proved Morris could hold his own with the best roots rockers and had his own distinctive literary bent.

Morris' new disc, "Zeke and the Wheel" (Koch) is even better. It's a great sounding disc. Producer R.S. Field keeps the arrangements simple and gritty, and Morris is supported by guitarists Kenny Vaughan and (Knoxville's) Hector Qirko, who play with sensitivity and taste.

But the central element is the songs and "Zeke" contains some of Morris' best. From the ominous title cut, about the prophet prone to visions, to the rough and bouncy alcohol celebration "Distillery," to the wild rockabilly of "Long Arm of the Law," to the sweet folky "A Winter's Tale," Morris is on target. The most powerful track is the most gentle.

"Maybe the Soul" is the story of the passive sinner -- the man who holds the contraband between the seller and the buyer, the prostitute who turns off her mind when she gives over her body, the computer worker who is only a cog in a big bad machine. They're nobodies -- and everybody who longs for redemption or excuses his own actions: "Maybe the soul can still be pure/I like to think it's true/ I know something's there for sure/ but I ain't got a clue.   There's laws of man and laws of God and laws of nature, too/There's judges everywhere you look/but they're all outlaws, too."

Accompanied only by sweet acoustic guitars, it's a song worthy of Bruce Springsteen's "Nebraska."  In the past, Morris' earnestness could be off-putting. He sometimes seemed to be shaking you by the shoulders and insisting, "This is important!"

"Zeke and the Wheel" lets you conclude that for yourself.

While Todd Steed might occasionally be in your face, he could never be accused of asserting his serious side. Since his early days with Knoxville punk/pop pioneers the Real Hostages, and later with Smokin' Dave and the Premo Dopes, Steed has forced audiences to chuckle.

"Chicks Ahoy" is Steed's latest disc with the Opposable Thumbs, a trio made up of Steed, drummer Dave Jenkins and bassist Paul Noe (both of Sire Records-signed band the Nevers).

The 12-cut disc houses all the crazed enthusiasm and irreverence that Steed is known for, but adds a level of polish and (gasp!) maturity that makes this his best project yet.

It's filled with hooks. It's filled with fun. And, like the best rock 'n' roll, the songs and sentiments are simple. "Free Advice From Me" is a bouncy power pop come-on encouraging her to drop "that guy you picked up at the Quickie Mart."

Steed celebrates getting off from work on "Five O'Clock" and the happiness of a good, lustful marriage on "Electric Message."  Steed even manages to tackle a few serious subjects, as on "Paper Man" -- a smart, sad, catchy portrait of a professional paper-pusher at midlife crisis.

Steed's wordplay is always clever but never belabored. Jenkins and Noe are first-rate players, but they never let their rhythmic expertise get in the way of the fun, lanky feel to the disc.

Aside from the Knoxville connection, both Steed and Morris share something particularly unfashionable -- a sense of optimism. Steed can be crass, but he's never mean. And, if there's any connecting element in all of Morris' work, it's a sense of moral responsibility and hope.

This stuff is important.

Grade: A- (both discs)

* The Opposable Thumbs will perform a CD-release show at 10 p.m. Friday, Oct. 1, at the Longbranch. Tickets are $2. To hear music samples of "Chicks Ahoy" or to order, visit www.disgraceland.com.