Classic Rewind: Wanda Jackson – ‘My Big Iron Skillet’

Single Review: Randy Travis – ‘Look Heart, No Hands’

Released as a single from Greatest Hits Volume 2 in 1992, “Look Heart, No Hands” continued Travis’s reign at the top of the country charts. The ballad about jumping in to a relationship without reservations is a straightforward love song where vocals, lyrics, and production values work together to create a memorable moment in his career.

What always strikes me is the whimsical vibe of this record. It still sounds fresh almost 20 years later, and has an easy-going flow extenuated by Travis’s relaxed vocal performance. He seems very comfortable here, displaying the confidence of a seasoned hit maker who isn’t about to rest on his laurels.

The understated production also suits the song well. The hints of dobro and steel guitar keep the song traditional yet modern, and keep the focus on the story, not the music, which acts as a complement opposed to a driving force.

And because of that, the lyrics have to be well written to stand as the focus of the track. And the words, written by Trey Bruce and Russell Smith, hold up. The chorus, which can easily stand on its own, begins to make an imprint on your brain after just a few listens and you can’t help but remember it. This is the kind of song that makes a good impression on the listener.

While not a classic Randy Travis hit, “Look Heart, No Hands” is worthy of standing proud next to the likes of “On The Other Hand” and “Forever, and Ever, Amen.” It’s just as good, but never had the lasting power of his two signature tunes, which is a shame. This was released in a time when country music still held onto a sense of tradition and hadn’t yet exploded into an over-commercialized breeding ground for pseudo-rockers.

Grade: A –

Album Review: Randy Travis – ‘Wind In The Wire’

1993′s Wind In The Wire is probably the most overlooked album in Randy Travis’ discography. By the early 90s, Randy had begun to dabble in acting, somewhat to the detriment of his singing career. Wind In The Wire was something of a side project, intended to accompany a made-for-TV film of the same title, in which Travis appeared. It is, for the most part, a collection of cowboy and western-themed songs, totally non-commercial in its approach and as such, it was mostly shunned by country radio.

Wind In The Wire was the first Randy Travis album since his major label debut not to earn platinum or gold certification, and the first that failed to produce any Top 40 hits. It was also his first release without longtime producer Kyle Lehning. Instead, production duties were handled by Steve Gibson. The album is in large part, a tribute to the singing cowboys and one can easily imagine Gene Autry or Roy Rogers singing many of the songs. Most of the tunes have a traditional Western sound, though only one — “The Old Chisolm Trail” is actually a vintage song. Others such as the opening track “Down At The Old Corral”, “Blue Mesa” and “Roamin’ Wyoming” were written by the contemporary songwriting team of Roger Brown and Luke Reed, but all three songs sound as though they are much older. “Memories of Old Santa Fe” written by Roger Brown and Rick Peoples is in a similar vein, while Mark Shutte Jr’s “Paniolo Country” is a little more contemporary. “Hula Hands”, as the title implies, has a Hawaiian them, and though it is a very good song, it really doesn’t belong in this collection.

“Cowboy Boogie”, the album’s first single, is not a traditional cowboy song per se. It is more of a Western swing tune, but the lyrics deal with cowboys and the Old West. It was greeted at country radio with a big yawn and stalled at #46 on the charts. It fared much better in Canada, however, reaching #10 on the RPM Country Tracks chart there. The title track, which is the most contemporary song on the album, only reached #65 and no further singles were released.

Clearly, the album’s release was timed to coincide with the broadcast of the film, but the timing was not fortuitous for Randy’s music career. It followed two volumes of greatest hits, which were released simultaneously the preceding year. Those two volumes had produced the #1 hits “If I Didn’t Have You” and “Look Heart, No Hands”, but a third single, “An Old Pair Of Shoes” had peaked outside the Top 20. By the time Wind In The Wire was released, Travis had been absent from the radio airwaves for a while, and with Garthmania at its peak, a collection of cowboy tunes wasn’t what radio programmers wanted. Although Randy rebounded commercially with his next album, 1994′s This Is Me, he never again achieved the level of success that he’d enjoyed up to this point.

The commercial failure of Wind In The Wire notwithstanding, it is a solid album that was a nice antidote to the increasingly pop-oriented fare dominating the charts both now and at the time of its release. It holds up surprisingly well. Travis is in good voice and seems comfortable and at ease with the material. Though it’s not essential listening, it is worth seeking out, particularly since a lot of people may have missed out on this one at the time of its release. It is still in print, though it is a little expensive for a nearly 20-year-old commercial flop, but it is worth downloading, at least. It can be purchased from Amazon or iTunes, with the latter having the better price.

Grade: A-