by Stephen Thomas ErlewineSome may be disappointed that Lee Hazlewood's first album in over 25 years is a collection of standards, but given time, Farmisht, Flatulence, Origami, ARF!!! and me... will work its considerable charms. Essentially an outgrowth of Al Casey's Sidewinder project, which featured Hazlewood's vocals on a pair of tracks, Farmisht is a laid-back, jazzy affair, with Hazlewood contributing surprisingly supple and inventive readings of such standards as"Honeysuckle Rose,""It Had to Be You,""She's Funny That Way,""Don't Get Around Much Anymore," and"Am I Blue." The album is as much Casey's as it is Hazlewood's, since his small group strikes a wonderful balance of jazz, pop, and country; it's loose but never sloppy, sophisticated but never pretentious. Thanks to Casey's fleet leadership and Hazlewood's rich vocals -- which weathered far better than anyone could have predicted -- Farmisht is one of the few standards albums that actually works, since it is faithful to the songs while creating an identity of its own. It's a modest achievement, but it's not a bad way to return to recording at all.