Take your pick, right? Well, how about a band that can do all that, but still doesn't have a record contract in this country?

Only one answer: The Walkabouts.

Nineteen ninety-three has been a good year for the Walkabouts (Chris Eckman, Carla Torgerson, Michael Wells, Glenn Slater and Terri Moeller), maybe even the best so far. In spring 'New West Motel' appeared on Sub Pop Europe, to glorious reviews. They toured the Continent. Chris and Carla put out an acoustic album, 'Shelter for an Evening' (also on Sub Pop Europe), recorded live on their European tour. And now comes 'Satisfied Mind,' released by... well, you guessed it.

Perhaps the best news is, through a special deal with Sub Pop US, you'll be able to find it in the stores -- at domestic prices. "Our stuff hasn't been available like that for over a year," Michael said. "It kills us, only having albums available for $25. We might not sell many records here, but the people who'd like to buy aren't going to pay those prices. Nobody does."

'Satisfied Mind' is an adventurous sidestep for the band, an album of covers, ranging from Nick Cave to Johnny Rivers to Charlie Rich to traditional American folk. What's more, it's largely acoustic, made with the help of several local and semi-local friends, including some well-known names (Peter Buck, Mark Lanegan and Ivan Kral) to draw in the punters.

After the thick sound of 'New West Hotel' it seems very airy and laid back. "The German company asked us to do it," Chris explained. "The last record was very rock, and we thought it'd be fun to do an acoustic thing, but at that point we didn't have an album's worth of songs."

Cover versions are nothing new for the band, "We've always done a lot of them," Chris said. "We appreciate other peoples' songs. We put one or two covers on every album. You learn a lot when you take on someone else's style."

Obviously they have. The space on the album allows the thoughtful arrangements to shine. "It's really hard to not play," Terri said, "to play slowly and quietly, to be able to relax and make something feel good. The interesting thing is, that's carrying through into the songs we're writing for the next record. It's going to be more rocky but with more feel."

That's right, another record. It's a good year.

The Walkabouts' last American release was 'Scavenger,' more than two years ago. It was supposed to be the disc that would break them, with a couple of famous guests - Natalie Merchant and Brian Eno ("that was a fluke, really"). The record appeared to a bright flurry of interest, and then ... nothing. What happened? "It came along when Sub Pop was on the verge of bankruptcy. They couldn't afford to promote it, or exploit the fact we had these wonderful musicians on it." Sub Pop Europe, in a better position, was able to take advantage of that fact. "We quadrupled our previous sales," Chris said.

An American tour followed the release, and was "a complete fiasco. We come home for a month and the drummer quit. We'd already lined Terri up, but at that point we figured it was just about over. Then we went to Europe. The second show in Germany was sold out, and the next week was sold out. We were going, 'wait a minute, what's right with this picture?'" Since then Europe has given them an operating base: "We can tour there and know our rents are going to be paid and we'll come back with money in our pockets. You look for a certain amount of respect, and we get that there."

Even with the hassles, 'Scavenger,' sold a respectable l0,000 copies in this country. So why hasn't Sub Pop US released their more recent material? "The deal never disappeared. There never was a deal or a contract. We just stopped working with each other. We were mutually exhausted."

"They've been very supportive," Glenn said. "It's not a state of animosity."

And why aren't American labels climbing over each other to sign the band? The new album's sold 13,000. 'New West Motel' cleared 20,000 copies. Chris and Carla's record has passed the 8,000 mark. What's the problem?

"The labels are interested. They've said, 'If we can have your European rights, we'll sign you, then develop your US sales.' So our European deal has really worked as a detriment. But we're not going to drop people in Germany who are putting their hearts and souls behind us."

For all their recognition over there, the Walkabouts haven't been tempted to move to Europe. "We all maintain lives here," Chris' said. "And we write from an American perspective. Those are our influences. If we left, we'd lose what makes us original."

Still, it must be tempting. "This summer we played to 40,000 people at a festival, which was great, to make so many people move. then we packed up and drove to Belgium, and at midnight we played to another 10,000."

Then they return to Seattle, and reality greets them with an ugly bump: "We always have to go and beg for our old jobs back."

"I miss touring America," Carla said. "In so many ways this country is more exotic than Europe. but it's hard for us. Over here you play places where the owner doesn't give a shit about the band, and that gets difficult to take after awhile. "

The lack of exposure here might be one of the things that's fueled scuttlebutt about an impeding breakup. Sure, Chris admitted, "there have been rumors to that effect. But nothing's written in stone."

"Nothing's ever written in stone," Michael agreed.

"There's plenty of time to think about things. We've kind of set some deadlines, to see how things are going to go. At this point our real goal is to get some US deal. If that comes about, and we could work effectively in America, that would be a completely different scenario."

Or, as Chris succinctly put it: "It's difficult to take your next step when people haven't even caught up with your last one."

But, if they do call it a day, it won't be for any lack of success, at least in their own eyes.. "If we were from Ft. Lauderdale or something," Carla said, "we'd be considered huge. It's relative. We can all remember the time where, if you had a record deal or could tour, it was a major accomplishment. It'd be nice to be making more money, but we've reached the point in the last year where there is income." Michael agreed. "We've exceeded our expectations as to any success we would have as a group."

They fully understand the reality; they have no illusions of achieving the multi-million sales of certain other Seattle bands. "Songwriting bands, with a few exceptions like REM, don't have the success that power bands do. You've got to judge it differently. We've always just tried to make music that reflected who we were."

The music they've made has also reflected their growth. From simple beginnings, almost a decade ago, they've become a band that can burn intensely or linger delicately, as the song dictates. On tunes like "Jack Candy" and "Findlay's Motel" (both on 'New West Motel') Chris' lyrics achieve the incisive observations of a Raymond Carver or Harry Crews, diving into the American nightmare and finding that kernel of absolute honesty that separates the extraordinary from the merely special. The name of their publishing company - Fire and Skill - has become most appropriate.

And on 'Satisfied Mind' they've managed it again, digging out the truths that exist in other peoples' words and melodies and enticing them into the light for us all to hear.

This fall sees them writing and rehearsing for that new album, to be recorded in January. Then, after "a good, healthy week off" they'll be back touring Europe in the spring.

And then?

Well, who knows?

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