On his first solo release, Grant Langston has served up a plate full of smart-ass pop music -- and I am willing to bet that you're not going to leave your seat until you lick the plate clean. This half-studio, half-live album reminds me of the sort of good, old-fashioned song-writing that I haven't heard since Michael Penn's criminally ignored March. Langston sprinkles his catchy pop tunes with sly insights into the feminist-era male -- a man who knows who he is but is not quite sure what that means anymore. On the studio tracks, he leads his top-notch band through consistently fresh Eagles-esque country rock that is sure to set the toes tapping. The three live tracks, including the delicious "Cameron Diaz", feature Langston solo with his acoustic guitar, bringing to mind Mark Eitzel without the self-deprecation. The standout track here is "The Real Man," a gutsy anthem for anyone who is male and proud of it. This is such a great track that it shows up three times -- twice as near identical studio versions and once live. Full, rich, and satisfying, All This and Pecan Pie is the perfect title for a great album.