The Honky Tonk Kid Comes Through Again With Angels & Outlaws

May 30th, 2008

 watson.jpgAaron Watson is the definition of country singer.  He and his band, The Orphans of the Brazos Band, bring the traditional honky tonk sound along with catchy lyrics, but at the same time combines a mainstream radio sound - even if mainstream radio won’t play his music.   His latest album release, Angles & Outlaws, was again produced by good friend Ray Benson of Asleep At The Wheel.  Watson wrote or co-wrote eleven of the fifteen tracks on the album.

The album cranks of with an excellent song called Tulsa.  Tulsa is a love song about an old lover who is being treated poorly by her current lover.  In the song, the singer threatens the current man in her life not to let the sun set on him in Tulsa or he’ll be going down too.  Continuing with the ex-lover them, Whiskey On The Fire is a song about drinking away a past lover.  Clever lyric “you can’t put out an old flame by pouring whiskey on the fire” is an excellent parallel to how drinking makes the pain worse.  Wake Up And Smell The Coffee is a fiddled laced song about not giving up because of a fight.  The message being that lovers can argue and fight, but still be the one for each other, and don’t lose sight of that.  Hence, wake up and smell the coffee.  Heart Of Life is a good song, but I’m not sure it was meant to be country.  I don’t think this is what John Mayer had in mind when he wrote this song.  I would probably like this better if I had never heard the original version because it’s really not that bad.  It’s just how I’m used to hearing the song.  

Love Makin’ Song is cute litte love song.  Personally, I think this should be the next radio release.  This song just has the “it” factor and Watson nails it.  Very good stuff.  Breaker Breaker One Nine is a humorous love song co-written by Jerry Reed.  Yes, that Jerry Reed, and you can definitely hear the Reed influence in this song.  Can’t Be A Cowboy Forever is a song about a Cowboy in love with being a Cowboy, similar to George Strait’s Cheyenne.  Rollercoaster Ride sings about the ups and downs of love using a rollercoaster ride as the paradoy.  Hearts Are Breaking Across Texas was the first release from the album and currently rides in the top 10 on the Texas Music Charts.  Watson wrote this song about his wife and it’s a beautiful song.  Every man should feel this way about his wife.  Unfortunately, the numbers show that Waston is in the minority.  

The titel track, Angels And Outlaws, has a nice rhythm to it. I particularly like the line “God bless angels and pray for outlaws.”  The hope is they can come together if God blesses her and prays for him.  I love Sweet Contradiction.  It is so well written.  The opening line “she’s as pure as a Sunday morning.  Just as fun as a Saturday night” is a perfect lead into this song.  Dancin’ Shoes is my least favorite song on the album.  It’s not bad, just not the greatness of Aaron Watson.  Phillipians reading by legend Billy Jo Shaver.  I’m not sure where it really fits in, but it kind of leads into the spiritual tear jerking love song Barbed Wire Halo.  The album’s closer is the fun, kick ass, That’s What I Like About A Country Song, where Watson is joined by fellow Texan greats Jack Ingram, Kevin Fowler, Roger Creager, and Ray Benson.

Watson gives a solid performance on this album and it should gain him more fans. He’s done really well considering mainstream radio doesn’t play his music.  If there is a negative to this album, it would be that it doesn’t have enough Saturday night, and maybe a little too much Sunday morning, but at least Watson’s heart is in the right place.  One can sure not find fault in that.   Overall, I enjoyed this album and when the only fault you can find in a man’s work is his faith, then I’d say he’s doing something right. 

Posted in Current Review, 2008, may 2008 | No Comments »

Bart Crow Band Should Be Flying With Success

March 28th, 2008

 crow.jpgThe Bart Crow Band burst onto the Texas Music scene in 2005 and wated no time making their mark.  Finally, the band’s first ablum release, produced top 10 hits Wear My Ring and Driftin’ In The Wind, as well as other outstanding songs All I Need and Dog House Roses.  If you are a fan of Red Dirt Country, then you too have been eagerly awaiting the release of the Bart Crow Band’s sophmore release, Desperate Hearts.  The 13 song album has a little bit of everything - country, rock and roll, ballads, you name it.  Crow himself wrote or co-wrote 11 of the 13 tracks.

The album kicks off with a rearranged version of the 2007 hit Driftin’ In The Wind.  Personally, this was one of my favorite songs of the year.  Crow somehow takes a suicide song and makes it an uptempo song.  It’s wonderfully written and just an incredible song.  Just like any relationship “when we both started out, we were the best of friends,”  he is unable to handle her leaving and asks her “can you taste that powder baby, can you taste my evil sin.”    In Back Down, the man is tired of the jealous woman, who continually tries to keep him down.  But hes’ not down for the count and he’s looking forward to her judgement day.  “You’ll be looking up baby, and I won’t even look down,” signifying that she will be in Hell.  Hollywood is the story of the girl who gave up everything to make her mark as a movie star.   It’s not the best song on the album, but it’s far from bad too.  The band’s current radio single is Understand.  The song is about forgiveness and love and how they have their own understanding about it, regardless of what everybody else around town thinks or says. 

The Jason Boland penned St. Valentine is a beautifully written song.  The man is asking for a little help from above  “I just want somebody to love, if you could find the time,” as if he’ll be sent a gift or a blessing in the form of a woman to love. Sweet Imitations is an uptemo and down tempo songall in one.  Very strange, but it’s done very well.  The song is a story about a cheating man in a bar, then a motel room.  He professes that his wife is loving a fool because even those he’s promised he’s changed, “it would kill her if she knew where her sweet love was tonight.”  The irony is that if she did leave, he says that he would be back in the bar that represents his prison cell.  Anybody who has ever suffered from a broken heart, can relate to Roses.  This song represents love in the real world, and how no matter what somebody promises, it can change in a minute, and promises are broken.  This song is pledge to try to win her back.  “Don’t be mad at me if I call you late at night.  Don’t be mad at me if I ask your friends if you’re alright. Don’t be mad at me if I cried all night ’til four. Don’t be mad if I leave roses on your door.” When you listen to this song, you can almost feel his pain, as well rehash some of your own pain from previous heartbreaks.  Once A Day in another song about dailey heartbreak, but not quite as powerful as the previous song.

Desperate Hearts is the title track of the song and I think Boland says it best when he describes this song as “a rock song in country clothing, hot on the trail of lonliness mistaken for love.”  We’ll go with that!  Change is a bit of a heavier song about the world today with a little bit of a political twist built in.  “We got the men and the women, dying with their children, for a presidential ribbon they don’t understand.”   Singing about the girl who has left him for New York, the man says “I’m so damn proud of you, even if my heart is sad and blue.  I love you, I just love you.”  Tami is a song about dragging his wife through a marriage of hell and how he’s accepting the responsibility for that.  This is followed by the opposite of that.  Forever is a song of proposal singing to the woman who has become his best friend and that he wants to becomes his wife.  “Cause I want to lay by your side.  For the rest of my life.  Today will you please be my wife.”   This is a love song that women will love, and the men will say “come on man, what are doing to us.”

Desperate Hearts is an album that has a little bit of everything, and there really isn’t a bad song on the thirteen song set.  The album has a lot of attitude about it with honest, understandable lyrics.  Bart Crow’s songwriting is exceptional and this country rock band should be in for great things in the future.  The album’s title Desperate Hearts would lead you to believe this is an album of sad ballads, but it’s rocked up country to the core.  I was worried that the Bart Crow Band’s second album wouldn’t live up to the first, but it did that and more.  I just love these and this is a recommended album for anybody who enjoys Red Dirt music.

Posted in 2008, March 2008 | No Comments »

Roses Are Black sounds like gold for Austin Collins

February 28th, 2008

 collins.jpgSometimes you pick up a new album and you don’t really know why.  Nor do you know what to expect.  I had heard of Austin Collins from his debut album “Something Better” and more specifically, the song 22 Hours, so when I saw “Roses Are Black”, I was intrigued to see what it was about.  Collins definitely has a unique sound and songwriting ability.  I’m not even sure if it’s country, but that doesn’t really matter because I liked it.  I think some people call this “alt-country”, whatever that is.  But whether it’s country or alt or soft rock or whatever you want to call it, Collins sings with honesty, emotion, and passion that allows him to pull off this kind of sound, where the tempo of the album rarely, if ever, changes throughout the twelves songs.

Much of the credit for the greatness of this album should be given to the Collins’ band, the Rainbirds - Craig Bagby on drums, Dylan McDougall on guitars, and Troy Wilson on bass - as they provide outstanding consistency throughout.  The opening song on this album is the intoxicating, accoustic 11 Months.  The song paints a detailed picture of a doomed relationship that never had a chance.  The lyrics and the mood of the song are an excellent opener.   Following are a couple of songs about relationship and conflict - Broken and Witching Hour.  The title track, Roses Are Black is a song about how a lot of people live their lives - “you go with what’s easy because it makes you feel safe” -  taking the easy road and avoiding struggles to get places.  Collins clearly doesn’t do this as he should be making quite a mark in the music business on this album.  However, in Out Loud, Collins sings about fighting in a relationship but taking the easy way out and not fighting “out loud”.   One of my favorite lines from this song is “cuz you’re like a ghost to me; can’t be touched; can’t be seen.” 

In the emotional Unapology, Collins sings to the girl that has done him wrong.  It’s a great f&^% off song but with a nice calm musical tone.  He doesn’t play the gentleman line and act like he’s happy and moving on.  Instead he says she’s “entitled to the grace that she won’t show.”  Bridge Street Lullaby is probably the best song on this album.  Can’t Say This At Home, the soft rocking song Eight Dollar Thrills, and Today continue the emotional theme of life and consequences.  House Without Windows and Goodbye Houston show more of Collins raw emotion that he puts into his music and again the music wonderful illustrates the mood of the song.  House Without Windows has a beautiful lyrical sound, but paints a dark, cold picture.

In Roses are Black, Collins allows the listener a keen look into the singers life.  The album highlights Collins’ unique writing style and the dark, emotional passion of his music, clearly real-life personal experiences.  Collins has not compromised that, nor has he compromised his talent and style with Roses are Black.  Collins has successfully brought his emotional experiences to light with this innovative vision.  I’m not sure that Austin Collins or Roses are Black are right for everybody’s taste, because it is different, but it works for me.  I’d suggest you give it a try, go into with an open mind, be honest with yourself, and you might find that you’ve stumbled on solid gold with Roses are Black.

Posted in 2008, February 2008 | No Comments »

Jamie Richard’s Drive will take him places

January 26th, 2008
Jamie Richards follows up his successful album Between These Lines, with his current album Drive.  Produced by Richards and Greg White, Richards is backed by a strong group of musicians that include White, Paul Holder, Richard Stanmyre, Brian Kelly, Junior Knight, Steve Rhian, Reggie Feuffer, Danny Chaffin, Jim Novack, Shannon Carpenter, Roxanne Poe, and Chip Bricker.  Richards wrote or co-wrote the majority of the songs on this album, with co-writing contributions on a few songs from Walt Wilkins, Wayd Battle, Bart Butler, and Brian Kelly.    

 jamie2.jpg In album opener Any Way You Want Me To, Richards delivers some first rate honest music.   The song peaked at #3 on the Texas Music Chart in 2007.  Most men would never openly admit to “I’ll give you anything you want, in your wildest dreams I’ll, wrap my soul around you, anyway you want me to.  I can go anywhere, be anyway you want me to.”  But we have all have that somebody that we feel this way about.  It’s a refreshing attitude for a country love song.   The album goes from love to heartbreak on the follow up song, She Remains.   A catchy song that has a nice rhythm sings about a girl who has left him, yet she still remains “in my heart, in my thoughts, in my pain, she remains.”  I’ve heard a lot of Jamie Richards’ music, but this song may be his best piece of work yet.  The title track Drive, which will probably be the next song released to radio, continues the heartbreak and lonely theme.  Drive is a song that reminisces about the past and remembers the things the man and woman did together and how those memories are so fresh, and brings her memory closer so he continues to Drive.

The play on words in You Don’t Know Jack works well, even if it’s not one of the best Richards penned songs on the album.  The song seems kind of hokey, but Richards pulls it off well.  The electric guitar and fiddle work helps the song tremendously.  This is a good dance floor song, and rather humorous as well.    My first thought of She Hates This Place was that this was my one throwaway song on the album.  But after a couple of listens to it, I’m convinced that it’s a great song about the man who still loves the bar, but his woman, who used to also love it but has now found religion, hates the place.  But by songs end, she’s met him at the bar, signaling she’s meeting him halfway.   And he acknowledges that fact, so he too will meet her halfway and will be at church with her on Sunday.  Aside from being a great song, it’s a good life lesson about compromising.   Hopefully this song will be a radio release later in the year.  Back To Bein Me is an up tempo song about forgetting who you are and then remembering and wanting to go back.  Some of our favorite Texas artist, i.e. Pat Green, should take a listen.   The ballad Whiskey Nights is a wakeup song about losing oneself in the whiskey and losing the woman, so he’s going to change, because “I won’t lose her without a fight; this ain’t no whiskey night.”

No matter how many times I listen to Country Song Waitin To Happen, I can’t help but laugh.  The song has wonderful dance floor appeal, and the lyrics would be something awful for one to live though.  Yet, the song is laugh out loud hilarious.  Nothing can go right for the singer in his life, from losing his wife to his best friend, to missing out on a promotion, to finding out his mother isn’t his mother, but his daddy didn’t tell him that from jail.  Hence, his life is a Country Song Waitin To Happen.  Great stuff from Richards.    I Just Can’t Love You Anymore could have been written about a co-worker of mine.   He can’t get close enough, nor can he get far enough away from her.  It doesn’t matter what he does, it’s never good enough, and she always knocks him down.  He can do a lot of things, but he just can’t love her anymore.   The rocking Leavin Her Leaving Behind has a good attitude about it, but doesn’t drive the machismo that most of these types of songs bring with it.  He’s moving on and not dwelling on her leaving.  But there is no “look at me now” or “screw you” or anything like that.  Plain and simple, he’s moving on down the line.  “The sun may be going down, but tonight I’m gonna shine.   Yea, I’m leavin her leavin behind.”  Well said Jamie.

Initially, Windy Day seems like a spiritual ballad about the singer’s family.  However, he’s the bad apple of the family tree, and he assumes that he must have been born on a windy day.  It’s creative, but not one I particularly care for.  The fiddle led Turn It Up is another heartache song about radio songs that remind him of her.  He no longer turns it up.  Instead he turns it off now.   Peace Love and Hard Liquor obviously is a play off the saying “Peace, Love, and Happiness”.    It will be the perfect ending to a live show since he sings about “goodbye for now” and “see you down the road”.  The singer acknowledges the fact that the audience has spent their hard earned money to come see him sing, and then says “I hope your life is as full as your glass.  I wish you Peace, Love, and Hard Liquor.  If you can’t find the first two, you can always buy the last.”  Pretty funny stuff there.  The album’s closer is a song Richards wrote for and about his Mother, who passed away in 2005.  Julia’s Table is song about growing up in his mother’s house, the sanctity of the place, and how she made it a home.  It gives you an idea of how Jamie’s childhood was growing up in Oklahoma. 

Jamie Richard’s music could easily fit on commercial country radio, yet it’s not commercial.  His music is undoubtedly country, but can still be radio friendly- whether he’s singing classic or more contemporary country.  The only problem is that’s not what country radio plays anymore.  Hopefully, Richards will never compromise his country sound for Nashville Rascal Flatts type pop-music.  Jamie Richards is an extremely talented singer/songwriter, and records and plays the kind of music we should be hearing on country radio today.  Unfortunately we aren’t hearing that on today’s radio.  But lucky for us, he plays in Texas and we can go see him live, which is what I recommend each of you to do.

Posted in 2008, January 2008 | No Comments »

Top 50 Songs of 2007

December 20th, 2007

stoney.jpg

As promised last month, here are my top 50 songs of 2007.  Stoney heads the list with the #1 song of 2007.  Veteran Jack Ingram cracked two top 10 hits, while the young and talented Johnny Cooper barely missed out on two top 10s.   Brandon Rhyder, Jason Boland & the Stragglers, Aaron Watson, Rich O’Toole, Brandon Jenkins, and Wade Bowen all appear twice on the list as well. 

1. Oklahoma Breakdown - Stoney LaRue
2. Measure of a Man - Jack Ingram
3. Up and Gone - Jason Boland & the Stragglers
4. Never Come Back - No Justice
5. One Step Closer - Wade Bowen
6. Home Again - Brandon Rhyder
7. Lips of an Angel - Jack Ingram
8. Driftin’ in the Wind - Bart Crow Band
9. Texas to You - Johnny Cooper
10. Careless - Micky & The Motorcars

11. Let It All Go - Johnny Cooper
12. Long Line of Losers - Kevin Fowler
13. Call of the Road - Brandon Jenkins
14. One More Goodbye - Randy Rogers Band
15. Trains I Missed - Walt Wilkins
16. Perfect Girl - Ty England
17. Any Way You Want Me To - Jamie Richards
18. Kelly Comes to Town - Rich O’Toole
19. Comfortable in This Skin - Mark McKinney
20. It’s Your World - Jason Allen

21. I Don’t Want to Get Up - Cory Morrow
22. San Angelo - Aaron Watson
23. Color You Gone - Jay Boy Adams
24. Dead and Gone - Bois D’Arcs
25. Between Here and the Front Door - Brandon Rhyder
26. Hard to Be Good in Texas - Candy Coburn
27. The Bourbon Legend - Jason Boland & the Stragglers
28. Home to Texas - Ryan James
29. 22 Days Too Long - Adam Hood
30. All American Country Girl - Aaron Watson

31. What’s Wrong With Me - Todd Fritsch
32. Wild & Willin’ - Jesse and Noah
33. Make It Up to You - Keith Davis
34. Cotton Field Girl - Robin English
35. Gotta Get Out - Larry Joe Taylor
36. Queen of the Misfits - Rich O’Toole
37. Good Things - Drew Kennedy
38. My Side of Town - Ryan Turner
39. Why Did We Ever Say Goodbye - Brandon Jenkins
40. If Only the Good Die Young - Max Stalling

41. Lonely - Jackson Taylor Band
42. Rolling Stone - Level Route
43. Lay it All on You - Wade Bowen
44. Cowboy Cool - Sonny Burgess
45. Crazy Like You - Josh Grider Band
46. That Ole Blacktop - Pat Waters
47. Million Miles Away - Shy Blakeman
48. Last Last Time - Bleu Edmondson
49. Catch Me Falling - Bailey
50. Cool Grass - Darren Kozelsky

OK, so you’re probably thinking “what happened to Miranda, Pat, and Ragweed?”  Well, I hardly consider them to be primarily Texas artists now.  Yes, they are still some of our favorites, but they play nationally more these days, so I didn’t include them on the list.  In fact, Jack is barely qualified now, but I left him on for one more year.  With that in mind, the following songs would have undoubtedly been on the list if they were included:

1. Famous in a Small Town - Miranda Lambert
2. Dixie Lullaby - Pat Green
3. Way Back Texas - Pat Green
4. I Believe You - Cross Canadian Ragweed
5. Late Last Night - Cross Canadian Ragweed

There were so many great songs from 2007 that did not make the cut.  But they are excellent songs nonetheless.  Soft to the Touch from Bonnie Bishop, Pass Me That Bottle by Jimmy Kaiser, If I Could by Sunny Sweeney, Sonny Burgess’ A Little Bit Stronger, and Spinning Around the Moon from Cory Morrow are just a few off the top of my head.

2008 is right around the corner and we look forward to more great music from these Texas artist next year.  You know these guys and girls will be back and other bands that weren’t on the list this year (ie. Eli Young Band, Deryl Dodd, Reckless Kelly, etc) will be heard from again too.  Everybody have a safe holiday and we’ll see ya again next year.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from your favorite Richard.

Posted in December 2007, 2007 | No Comments »

95.9 the Ranch Sound of Texas 2007

November 21st, 2007

 

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Since I’m in a time crunch because of Thanksgiving, I’m going to take the easy road this month.  In reviewing the 95.9 the Ranch Sound of Texas 2007 album, I’ll just make a quick comment on each song and leave it at that.

Oklahoma Breakdown (Live) - Stoney LaRue - clearly the song of the year in the state of Texas, so why not lead off with it?  Things Look Good Around Here (Live) - R. Creager - Strange choice to include this song, or Creager altogether.  I love Roger but he hasn’t released anything in a while so why is he on a 2007 album?  These Tears - Reckless Kelly - Without any new material in 2007, they could have gone back to 2006 for Break My Heart Tonight, but they went with this song from the Wicked Twist Road album.  Not a bad choice though.  So Close Now - Eli Young Band - Any Eli Young Band song is good.  They didn’t release anything in 2007.  This was their last release at the end of 2006 so probably the reason for the choice.  Gotta Get Out - Larry Joe Taylor - This isn’t his best work, but it was his best of 2007.  It’s a top 50 song for the year.  Wear My Ring - Bart Crow Band - Interesting choice.  Personally, I would have gone with Driftin’ in the Wind, as it was a top 10 song this year.  Wear My Ring was released in 2006.  Trains I’ve Missed - Walt Wilkins & the Mytiqueros - Best release from Wilkins in a while.  Song is top 25 for 2007.  My Side of Town - Ryan Turner - This is a good song, however, not as good as some of his previous releases (She’s No Amy and Back in Your Arms).  But it’s a top 50 song.  Home Again - Brandon Rhyder - One of the better tracks on the album.   This is a top 10 song for the year. All American Country Girl - Aaron Watson - Excellent song from an excellent artist.  I might have gone with San Angelo, but I don’t think you could have gone wrong with either.  Red Dress - No Justice - This happens to be my favorite No Justice song, so I’m giving them a pass.  But the reality is, this song was released in 2006 and Never Come Back was a top 5 song for 2007.  One Step Closer - Wade Bowen - Bowen keeps putting out hit after hit.  And this one is another top 5 hit for the year.  Carolina Morning - Micky and the Motorcars - Another pass because this is my favorite Motorcars song, but Careless was a top 10 song for 2007.  Why Do We Ever Say Goodbye - Brandon Jenkins - Although this is a top 50 song, it’s not one of my favorites.  I would have preferred to have Call of the Road, which is a top 10-15 song for this year.  She Don’t Want Nobody - Mike McClure Band - I could be mistaken but I think this song was released in 2006.  But without anything else for 2007, this song works just fine in my book.  Up & Gone - Jason Boland & the Stragglers - Great choice from Boland.  Any Boland song is alright in my book, but this was clearly his best hit of 2007.  Bourban Legend, released late in 2007 is better, but Up & Gone had some staying power at the top of the charts for a long time.  Kelly Comes to Town - Rich O’Toole - Could have gone with this or Queen of the Misfits.  Kelly Comes to Town is probably a top 15 song so this is a fine selection.  Spinning Around the Moon - Cory Morrow - His previous works were so much better, so it doesn’t matter to me if it’s this song or I Don’t Want To Get Up.   Neither makes the cut compared to the Morrow of 5 years ago.  Should’ve Broke Your Heart - Ryan James - I think I would have gone with Home to Texas.   22 Days Too Long - Adam Hood  - Outstanding song.  This song was a top 25-30 song for 2007.

Again, I kept this short in the essence of time, but I would recommend this album to my friends.  There are strange song selections, but whatever the criteria The Ranch used, I don’t think there is a bad song on the album.  Next month, I will have my year end, top 30 (or maybe 50) songs in Texas for 2007.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Posted in November 2007, 2007 | No Comments »

Kevin Fowler’s Bring It On Delivers Big

October 24th, 2007
fowler1.jpg Kevin Fowler has consistently delivered entertaining music since the turn of the century.  His music is honest, yet humorous.  It’s clever, yet heartfelt.  This is what we have grown to expect from Fowler, and he delivers once again with his latest album Bring It On.   The leadoff single is currently his release to radio - Long Line of Losers.   In Fowler’s Southern country rock style he hits a homerun right off the bat and includes outstanding fiddle and steel guitar work.  This song is absolutely hilarious singing about his checkered genes and bloodlines.  In fact, it took only 2 weeks
after it’s release to reach the top 25 on the Texas Music Charts.  After only 5 weeks, it was in the top 5, then went to number one the following week, where it has remained for the last 6 weeks.   This is followed up with Feels Good, Don’t It.  In typical Fowler style, it’s an uptempo song but sounds a little bit too much like Montgomery Gentry.  That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I’m not feeling this song from Fowler.        

One of the highlights from this album is Ain’t Dead Yet.  This is a song about all the warning in life about what will kill us - burgers, beer, toothpaste, cigarettes, you name it.  “But we ain’t dead yet.  No we ain’t dead yet.  Ol’ ticker’s still a tickin’ and we’re still alive and kicking.  No we ain’t dead yet” says it all about the world we live in, where supposedly it’s not safe to eat this or that, or do this or that.  Fowler pulls in the legendary George Jones to sing with him on Me and the Boys.  Bringing in Jones immediately makes this a great song, as they sing about spending an evening with the boys.  Of course, those boys are Jim Beam, Jack Daniels, and Johnny Walker, and I don’t think anybody has a problem seeing that actually happen with these two.  Excellent song in the mold of the Chestnutt’s The Lord Loves the Drinking Man.  I Pulled a Hank Last Night also has the unmistakable sound of Kevin Fowler and takes a trip down memory lane with Hank Williams and talks about a killer hangover.  The musical quote from “Honky Tonk Blues” in the instrumental break is a touch of class and a tribute to the legendary Hank himself.  What’s Your Point is an in you’re face go to hell song.  It’s Fowler at his best.   ”Tell me something I didn’t know.  I ‘m a hard headed son-of-a-gun.  That’s the just the way I roll.  I doubt I’ll ever change.  Don’t waste your breathe on me.   Oh, I’ve heard it all before, yea, what’s your point?”  The title track Bring It On is another Fowler upbeat raucous machismo song.  I’m not sure it’s one of my favorites, but I can see it being a real crowd pleaser in his live shows. Cheaper to Keep Her is so well-written and so true.  It’s an honest song about how it’s cheaper to keep her than to divorce her, which is really what he wants to do.  I think a lot of married men have been in his shoes at some point and probably thought the same thing.   Fowler goes out of character and slows it down in, no pun intended, Slow Down.   It’s a song about life being out of control and reigning himself in and getting his act together before it kills him.    Now You’re Talking is another song that sounds a lot like Montgomery Gentry, but they too, kind of represent the outlaw image, so it’s not surprising that Fowler will resemble them at times.   It’s still a good song, and I could see this being his next radio release. I’ve read that Best Mistake I Ever Made is schedule to be his next radio release, and let’s hope not!  This is my one dud song that seems to find it’s way onto every album.  This song is not Fowler at all and seems completely forced.   It’s a song about getting married in Vegas and having kids.  “Just because we didn’t mean to do it don’t mean that it ain’t right.”   I just feel like I’ve heard this song before with Kenny Chesney singing There Goes My Life.  The mere fact that this song reminds and even sounds like a Chesney song, makes it not presentable to radio.  This song is not Kevin Fowler at all.  At least he does add a little bit of humor into the song.   I love the song Let’s Start Livin’.    It’s a fun loving party song that sounds a lot like a Deryl Dodd song.  I just can’t put my finger on which one it is.  At any rate, it’s a very cool song.   The album closes with the steel guitar, fiddling playing Honky Tonk Junkie and this might be one of the best songs on the album.   “I get the jonesin’ for Jones.  I’ve got a hankerin’ for Hank.  Yea, when I’m feeling down, I need them around, to help me through the pain.”  It’s an excellent way to close the album.Fowler’s outlaw persona will never grow old in the Texas honky tonks, and he produces once again on the Bring It On album.  I’m not sure there are any signature songs like Beer, Bait, and Ammo or Don’t Touch My Willie, but there are 12 outstandiing songs in this 13 song set.  And they are undeniably Kevin Fowler.  He has a distinct sound, as well as delivery.  This was a long awaited arrival and well worth your money.  Bring It On from Kevin Fowler will make great stocking stuffers this Christmas.     

Posted in October 2007, 2007 | No Comments »

The Greatness of Josh Grider’s Million Miles To Go

September 21st, 2007
Three years ago, newcoming Josh Grider released his first album - self titled Josh Grider Band.  There were several outstanding songs on that album, and Everybody Knows was the 27th most played song on Texas radio for 2006.  That’s quite an accomplishment coming on the first album.  
Josh Grider
 
The followup sophomore release to that, Million Miles To Go, was released in August, and I eagerly anticipated listening to it.  Grider bookends the album with a song talking about being almost “there” and closes with realizing he still has a long way to go.  In between, you can see the potential for something great from Josh Grider.         

Stumbling on the Edge of Greatness is an autobiographical look at the Texas musician.  Grider sings about the trials and hardships of trying to make it in a tough musical market and dreams of making a name for himself.  I’m sure all of you have witnessed your favorite band loading and unloading equipment just to play in front of 50 people.  This is Grider’s tribute to all those bands.  This one line says it all -  “I got no flight plan, just a big white van, a trailer and a band and we just ride around…hopin’ the people dig our sounds.”  Poorer Days really delivers a similar message, but moreso about learning from past mistakes and moving forward.  It’s not a song that you will hear on mainstream radio, but it works just fine in Texas but he’s lived it and it’s not fabricated.  Crazy Like You is the first single released to radio and is already up to #22 on the Texas Music Charts.   The song was written about his wife and I love the pace and beat of the song.  And the song is so true.  “Everybody’s crazy so what you need to do is find somebody crazy like you, someone that you can fuss and fight with and when you make up you can love all night with.”  By far, the best song on the album.  Having Texas legend Walt Wilkins providing vocal backup doesn’t hurt either.   

Fellow artist Drew Kennedy co-wrote Hand to Hold with Grider, and Grider is joined by his wife Kristi on the album for this song.   She takes the lead on this song that has a serious touch of reality and being lonely.  Another song on the album that strikes the lonely cord is the fiddle-led shuffle Rusty Cowboy.  Probably Will is a song that sounds really nice to the ear and talks about the struggles between his heart and his mind, and what he will probably do when she wants him back.  Very catchy.  I’m probably about to hit a touchy subject for some.  Whether you agree with the war in the middle-east or disagree, I think everybody agrees that supporting the troups and showing appreciation is absolutely the right thing and the most patriotic thing that any of us regular people can do.  However, when I hear Toby Keith and Daryl Worley, and countless others disquise the reality of what is going on in Iraq with macho lines like “stick a boot in your ass” and crap like that, you think enough is enough.   It’s not as if I don’t like their work, but just not here.  Then you have tasteful patriotism from artist like Shelly Wright that draw from personal friends and family that live with the reality of the war.  Travis Blues is Grider’s attempt at this, and it too is done with great taste.  Young Travis in this song is his best friend’s brother and takes a different approach to writing about Iraq, by asking questions in the song about what it’s like and what he’s seeing over there.   

Grider’s best performance on the album may be on the love song Emma.  The lyrics are strong and Grider is even better.  When I first listened to Love Went Wrong, I thought to myself the same thing - where did this song go wrong.  But after the second and third listen, it grew on me and I realized the greatness of it.  It’s different for sure, but I felt like I was listening to something from the 1950s, and that’s not a bad thing at all.  Tragic Circumstance is an old school song about living fast and paying the price later.  The  meaning of the song has been done hundreds of times in different ways by so many different artists, but Grider holds his on here.  Broken on Broadway is the one throwaway song that I mention on almost every album review.  It just doesn’t work for me.  The album closes with the title track, Million Miles To Go.  It’s a fitting closer as it’s very similar to the opener, Stumbling on the Edge of Greatness.  It’s pretty much the same message recapping the past several years of his life on the road, but has a strong Kenny Rogers feel to it.  That alone makes it a good song.  

Million Miles To Go is an excellent album.  However, I’m not sure it matched his previous album from three years ago.   The autobiographical look at life on the road is almost overdone on the album.  There are too many songs that deal with being on the road and traveling from show to show and back home.   At the same time, though, that theme kind of lends itself to support the title of the album.   One does have to appreciate the honesty of telling his own stories and experiences.   I think there is a bit of energy missing from this album that was present on the first one, but there is enough good work, that I’m not willing to give up on Grider.  I think his potential is enormous and a great future is not out of his reach.  He himself has acknowledged that with the title of this album - Million Miles To Go.  Except, I would say he’s not quite that far away.  Josh Grider is Stumbling on the Edge of Greatness.

 

Posted in September 2007, 2007 | No Comments »

Brandon Rhyder Live Is Recommended Listening

August 22nd, 2007
rhyder.jpg Brandon Rhyder Live is set to be released August 31.  The album is produced by Texas legend Radney Foster and released on APEX records.  The album, which includes live versions of previous releases such as Back Roads, Freeze Frame Time, and Man of Conviction, also includes some new material.  Among those is a studio version of Home Again, the albums first release to radio.  The album was recorded live at Banita Creek Hall in Nacogdoches and the Midnight Rodeo in College Station.
     

Man of Conviction kicks off this live album.  The song is about going through rough times, which nobody likes to do, but it’s the reality of it.   The line “Don’t
you cry for me I made this bed” is a very powerful and truthful line in this song.  The live crowd adds to what was already a great song.  One Step Closer is a song previously released by friend and co-writer Wade Bowen.   I love the opening line to this song:  “My windshield’s cracked, just like my heart.  My tires are all flat,  just like my brain.  My engine’s running rough, just like my soul.  I don’t know how much further we can go burning this much oil.”  While Bowen’s version is little more polished, Rhyder’s version is more believable as he just sounds completely rundown.  Let The Good Times Roll is about a man who  is trying to impress a woman and doesn’t want the night to end.

No One Stays In Love Alone is probably my least favorite song on this album.  I think because I liked the title so much, the song itself was a bit of a letdown.  The title lends itself to the premise of a great country song, but it’s not.   This is followed by a couple of poignant songs.  My Son is about a man and his new son - any new father can appreciate this song.  I Can’t Hang On first appeared on the 2005 Conviction album.  This is song about a woman’s relationship that is dead, but she can’t get over him and what he said.  Black Cat, from the 2003 Behind the Pine Curtain album, has never been a favorite of mine.  If Rhyder felt he needed to include another song from this album, I think Questions would have been a better choice.  But Black Cat isn’t awful by any means and doesn’t take away from how good this album is.  One of the new songs on this album is Do You Remember.   I love the beat of this song, and it even sounds a little bit like one my favorite bands, The Ely Young Band.  This song is also well-written as well as pleasant to listen to.
 If you fancy yourself as a songwriter, every once in awhile you hear a line from a song and think “where in the hell did he come up with that.”  That’s where I found myself the first time I heard the first line of Back Roads.  “The back roads of this county are crossed like the laces on my cowboy boots.”   I was already hooked by the time I heard the second line.  That is greatness in songwriting.  It’s even better on the live version, which is one of the tracks recorded at Banita Creek Hall.  The song is well-written, singing about life in a small town.  Another song from Rhyder’s early years on this album is Have I Waited Too Long (2001 Because She Loves Me album) shows just how far he has come in 6 years.  Again, it’s not that it’s really bad, it’s just not nearly the quality of work he has produced on Conviction and this Live album.
 Freeze Frame Time, which was released on the 2005 Conviction album, is one of the most beautifully written songs in the last 10 years.   Just the opening line of the song sets the stage for what the listener is about to hear.  “It’s a beautiful morning to see the sun rise.  It’s moments like this wish I could freeze frame time.”  This is a refreshing song about a man who has everything in his life going perfectly for him.  Rhyder includes two studio songs at the end of this album.  The first of these is Before I Knew Your Name.   This is a song about a man who wishes to go back in time before he met the woman that wrecked his heart and pride.  The album closes with perhaps Rhyder’s best work, Home Again.  The song has a nice upbeat rhythm to it and again sings about growing up in a small town.  Anybody that has grown up in a small town and left home can relate to the sentiments of this song.   Especially for those who grew up in small town East Texas.
 

When you listen to Brandon Rhyder Live, you feel almost as if you were there for the recording of this album.  That’s probably the Radney Foster influence on this album.  But the music is unmistakably Brandon Rhyder.   He sounds a lot like Foster, but at the same time has his own distinctive sound.    As his career has progressed, he continues to get better.  And the new tracks on this album very much compliment that.  Even some of the previously recorded songs are better the second time around.  I think Rhyder would have been better served to focus on songs from the Convictions album and the newer material, but perhaps he felt the need to get some of his work from his previous albums out for the public.  Unfornately, they weren’t much appreciated then, and probably won’t be now either.  But that doesn’t nothing to lessen this fine work.  This is a highly recommended album and I would also suggest catching Brandon Rhyder in person when he comes to your town.  That’s exactly what I plan to do at the Firewater Bar & Grill in Dallas for his CD release party this Thursday.
 

 

 

Posted in August 2007, 2007 | No Comments »

Adam Hood Finds His Different Groove

July 20th, 2007

I can’t say honestly that I had ever heard of Adam Hood.  But the first time I heard the first release from the Different Groove CD, 22 Days Too Long, I told myself I needed to find more of his music.  This upbeat, twangy song, about missing his daughter already before he hits the road, includes excellent vocals and guitar work.  He follows 22 Days with Shelly.  After only two songs, I was getting the feeling from Hood that he writes from the heart and personal experiences. He paints a picture in his music.  You can close your eyes and see the scene that he Adam Hood
sings about.  Never Comes Easy is a simple, but pleasant song about the changes in one’s life and getting started in the industry, and how change never comes easy.  
In Cars, Trucks, and Me, Hood sings about being on the road and how eventually every city and every highway looks the same.  While everybody else is impressed with where he’s been, he isn’t impressed because he’s just passing through.  He never gets to see the attractions.  I’m not crazy about the tempo, but I’m really digging the lyrics.  It’s a nice reminder that the life of entertainer, while appearing glamorous, isn’t always what people make it out to be.  Buzzes Like Neon is a pretty weird song.  I’m not really even sure what it’s about, but it’s got a nice rhythm to it.  You probably won’t catch me singing along with it, or even admitting that I like the song.  Probably the low light for me on this album is Fool Of An Honest Man.  It’s a bluesy song about a cheating woman and how he keeps giving and giving.  I’m not sure what it is, but it seems like every album has one of these songs.  You listen to it over and over and you just can’t get into.  This is that one Adam Hood song for me.
On the title track Different Groove, Hood sings about sitting on the front porch searching for his groove, playing the same chords over and over looking for a different groove, “that makes me smile.”   Late Night Dinner is another song that Hood paints a picture of the scene so well that you can almost see it.  This song is flat out honky-tonk and you won’t hear this on any Nashville commercial radio.   But it’s excellent work.
A trip to Louisiana for a show inspired the Cajun heavy “Varnado”. Hood co-wrote this song with friend Justin Johnson.  It sings about a bad experience in the swamplands of Lousiana. This song has a fun beat to it, and I can see the dance floor filling up for this one.  I could just as easily see it being played in a small down hayride or howdown.   

The alum’s final song is Whole Town Talking.  This is a very powerful song and may actually be Hood’s best song.  At least lyrically it might be. “It’s a little bit hard to take, when the heart she left to break has got the whole town talking about me” is just heartbreaking and strong.

I’ve read comparison of Adam Hood’s sound to Bruce Springsteen.  I’m not sure I would go quite that far, but he is certainly worth a listen.  I thought he sounded closer to Eric Church, which still isn’t a bad comparison.  Especially since I think Church sounds a lot like Springsteen too.   Adam Hood brings something different to the table with his music.  Some guys have it, and some don’t.  Hood his it.    Most of his songs sound as if he is writing an autobiography of himself in his music.  Maybe he is, and maybe he isn’t, but if he can make the listener feel like he is reflecting on his own experiences, and a lot of them, the listener can relate to, then he’s got them.  And he’s got me.  I highly recommend Different Groove from Adam Hood.  And I’m really looking forward to seeing him in person.

Posted in July 2007, 2007 | No Comments »

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