Joe’s first album in 20 years, Analog Man, is presumably the main reason for his CMT Crossroads episode, which includes two numbers from the new disc. The title track is straight guitar-rock with a humorous lyric about having lived to see the personal computer’s total cultural takeover, as well as a statement about endeavoring to live a life that’s connected to reality. This resonates with Joe’s decade or so in recovery from alcoholism, a topic he addresses more directly on “One Day at a Time.”

“Family” oozes with humility and domestic contentment, while the gentle, Nashville-leaning “Lucky That Way” (sung with Kenny Chesney on Crossroads) is a Walsh mini-biography that also points to a deeper truth about the present-day rock-and-country intersection: Country is often the final frontier for legacy rock acts seeking to connect with new listeners and relocate fans who’ve shifted lifestyle gears.

For the likes of them, or for guitar-hungry musical omnivores of any age, meeting Joe Walsh at the crossroads may be just the deal.