Album Review – Aaron Tippin – ‘What This Country Needs’

Change was afoot for Aaron Tippin in 1998. His tenure at RCA Nashville ended in 1997 and Lyric Street Records quickly signed him in early 1998. He went to work on a new album, and released What This Country Needs in October. Tippin co-produced the project along with Pat McMakin, marking their first time working together.

He previewed the album with Mark Nesler and Tony Martin’s “For You, I Will,” which peaked at #6. A love song, it succeeds on a pleasant mid-tempo production featuring a nice dose of fiddle and steel. It’s a fairly middle of the road song at best, and Tippin’s somewhat disengaged vocal is partly to blame. But I do really enjoy the production.

Subsequent singles didn’t fair as well. The neo-traditional “I’m Leaving” hit #17 and is quite good, although his vocal is too gruff and out of place. Piano and steel ballad “Her” peaked at #33 and overall is much better than its predecessors, especially vocally, although the track isn’t anything overly special. The in your face title track, a Tippin co-write with Donny Kees, hit #47. Somewhat clever play on words the track isn’t talking about America (like the opening lines suggest), but the country genre’s move in a poppier direction:

‘Cause what this country needs

Is a little more steel guitar

And put a little fiddle right in the middle

Straight out of a Texas bar

And give us a song, we can all sing along

From sea to shining sea

Be proud of it and always love it

That’s what this country needs

Tippin may get his point across, but the track is no “Murder On Music Row.” The rock production is too jarring for a song about reconnecting with traditional sounds. He mostly sticks with those traditional sounds on the remaining tracks, with “Don’t Stop (We’re Just Getting Started)” leading the pack. By 1998 this line dance ready barroom romper was a bit dated, but the drenching of steel helps it rise above the pack.  The same classic elements bring the excellent “Somewhere Under The Rainbow” to life.

“I Didn’t Come This Far (Just to Walk Away)” is a favorite track of mine because I really enjoy both the melody and overall country feel. Same goes for “Back When I Knew Everything” and “Sweetwater,” two barroom anthems. The honky-tonk production and twang-y guitars are excellent additions to the songs. The remaining tracks, “Nothing Compares to Loving You” and “You’re The Only Reason For Me” are the only clunkers suffering from being too loud and far too adult contemporary, respectively, for my tastes.

Overall, What This Country Needs is just an okay album – nothing terrible yet nothing outstanding (none of the songs are particularly memorable in any significant way). My main issue with the project is Tippin himself – he sounds neither comfortable nor confident and gives spotty vocals throughout. He’s proven he can be strong enough on somewhat traditional material, but he hardly brings any of those goods here.

Grade: C

Album Review: Aaron Tippin – ‘Tool Box’

Aaron Tippin’s 1994 album Lookin’ Back At Myself showed some signs that Tippin the songwriter’s well of ideas was beginning to run dry. Though it earned gold certification, it failed to produce any Top 10 hits, so for his next effort, 1995′s Tool Box, Tippin finally relented and recorded some songs from some outside songwriters. This time around he only had a hand in writing two of the album’s songs, not including “Country Boy’s Tool Box”, which originally appeared on his previous album. The less said about that song, the better. Steve Gibson was back on board as producer.

Opening the door to other songwriters had little commercial impact — Tool Box reached gold status, matching the sales level of Lookin’ Back At Myself — but it did provide a fresh perspective that had been lacking from the prior year’s album.

The album opens with a catchy Dennis Linde number, “Ten Pound Hammer”, which would have been an excellent choice for a single. It was covered two years later by Barbara Mandrell for her final album. It is followed by the album’s first single “That’s As Close As I’ll Get To Loving You”, a slightly slicker-sounding number than what we had usually heard from Aaron up to this point. The record managed to reverse Aaron’s chart decline; it reached the #1 spot, becoming his first record to crack the Top 10 in two years. The album’s subsequent singles did not fare as well, however. “Without Your Love” only reached #22, while “Everything I Own” peaked at #51 and “How’s The Radio Know” a Tippin co-write with Michael P. Heeney stalled at #69. “How’s The Radio Know” is the album’s most traditional-sounding single; that and perhaps declining promotional support from the label may account for its poor chart performance.

There are some pleasant surprises among the album cuts. One of my favorites is “A Real Nice Problem To Have”, a Rick Bowles co-write with Tom Shapiro. Tippin also dusts off Billy Swan’s 1973 hit “I Can Help”. It’s not the type of song I’d expect Aaron Tippin to cover, but he pulls it off reasonably well. “You Gotta Start Somewhere”, another Tom Shapiro effort co-written by Bob Regan, is also quite good.

The album’s sole dud is the psuedo-title track, which, as noted earlier, was carried over from Tippin’s previous album. It is included here as an eleventh song. Had it been omitted, the album would not have suffered. Why it was resurrected is a mystery; I suspect that it was included because someone took a liking to “Tool Box” as an album title.

Tool Box was Tippin’s final album for RCA. As such, the label probably had little interest in promoting it too heavily with radio programmers. Nevertheless, it sold well and Aaron proved that he had a few more hits left in him when he moved to Lyric Street Records for his next release. Tool Box is a definite improvement over Tippin’s previous few albums; inexpensive copies are easy to find and worth picking up.

Grade: B+

Album Review: Aaron Tippin – ‘Lookin’ Back At Myself’

Like his labelmate Clint Black, Aaron Tippin had a hand in writing most of the songs he recorded, and also like Black, after a few albums it became apparent that he was starting to run out of good ideas. Even a new producer, Steve Gibson couldn’t keep Lookin’ Back At Myself, Tippin’s fifth release for RCA, from sounding like a rehash of his earlier work. The lead single “I Got It Honest” is another ode to the blue collar work ethic, while the title track revisits the theme of standing by one’s convictions no matter what the consequences and “Lovin’ Me Into An Early Grave” sounds way too much like “There Ain’t Nothin’ Wrong With The Radio” to be truly enjoyable.

The familiar themes were beginning to wear thin at radio; “I Got It Honest” failed to reach the Top 10, peaking at #15. The album’s second single “She Feels Like A Brand New Man Tonight” is a less traditional number that at least attempts to venture into new territory. However, it is one of Tippin’s poorer efforts and it only reached #39. The fact that RCA didn’t release any further singles may have been a sign that Tippin was beginning to lose the support of his label. That is a shame, because even though the rest of the album is a mixed bag, it contains a handful of decent songs that might have been better choices for singles. “She’s Got A Way (Of Makin’ Me Forget)” is a fiddle-led traditional number in the vein that Aaron Tippin was born to sing. The same goes for “Standin’ On The Promises”. “Lookin’ Back At Myself” is likewise a very enjoyable song, despite being a bit unoriginal. “Bayou Baby” is a bit fluffy, but might have had a successful chart run as a summmertime release.

On the other hand, “Country Boy’s Tool Box” is an unmitigated disaster that was presumably inspired by the then-popular line dancing craze. The beat is annoying, the lyrics are shallow and it is lacking in melody. Unfortunately the song made another appearance on Tippin’s subsequent album. “Mission From Hank” is a forgettable number, notable only for being the only song on the album that Tippin didn’t co-write.

Overall, Lookin’ Back At Myself is a good, but slightly uneven effort. The album cuts are better than the tracks that were released as singles. RCA seems to have been marketing Tippin as salt-of-the-earth, hardworking and God-fearing and the single choices definitely reflect that but by this time, it was beginning to become a cliche. It’s too bad they didn’t try harder to market some of Aaron’s other singles; if they had he might have enjoyed a few more years in the spotlight. Despite its missteps, the album is certainly good enough to justify the small expenditure required to pick up a cheap copy.

Grade: B

Album Review: Aaron Tippin – ‘Call Of The Wild’

Aaron’s third album, released in 1993, saw a change of producer with a move to Scott Hendricks. Hendricks is a heavier handed producer than Emory Gordy Jr, so the change was not for the better, and the album did not sell as well as Read Between The Lines, but was still certified gold. As before, Tippin wrote every song with a variety of collaborators, mostly on themes relating to working class pride.

The lead single ‘Workin’ Man’s PhD’ is archetypal Aaron Tippin; if you type his name into a search engine, “aaron tippin working mans phd” is the suggested completion. Paying tribute to blue-collar workers’ hard work and contribution to society, it was the album’s biggest hit, peaking at #7. It’s a bit shouty and lacking in melody, but the honesty of the message exemplifies part of what makes country music great.

On a less serious note, the fairly forgettable title track (about a woman who likes to let her hair down in a honky tonk every now and then) faltered ten spots lower on the chart. The tongue-in-cheek ode to being a beer-fueled ‘Honky Tonk Superman’ failed to crack the top 40 despite a comic video featuring Reba McEntire as the bar owner. Both song and video are fun, although the latter exaggerates the comedy to cartoonish effect.

The final single ‘Whole Lotta Love On The Line’ reached #30 and is a good song about desperately trying to save a relationship, with a sincere vocal. Unfortunately it is smothered by a cluttered production with far too much going on.

‘My Kind Of Town’ is a rocking number about finding a small town to settle down in which would fit in on today’s country radio. It is a bit of a disappointment considering it was a co-write with the legendary Sanger D Shafer, but is not unlikable. The fast-paced ‘When Country Took The Throne’ celebrates the commercial rise of country music in the 90s and traces it back to the pioneering music of Jimmie Rodgers.

‘Trim Yourself To Fit The World’ is an attempt to recapture the magic of ‘You’ve Got To Stand For Something’, and while it offers nothing really new, it is catchy with a memorable chorus:

If you trim yourself to fit the world there won’t be nothing left
Just a little here and a little there till you won’t know yourself
You’ll be a pile of shavings when they put you in your grave
If you trim yourself to fit the world you’ll whittle yourself away

There is also a prescient dig at the self-styled outlaw types, when Aaron notes,

Each time the good Lord makes a man He always breaks the mold
So it sure does raise the flag for that rebel in my soul
When some phony carbon copy says “I’m the black sheep of the fold”

‘Let’s Talk About You’ is a cheery mid-tempo love song which is quite enjoyable, but ‘Nothing In The World’ is completely forgettable fluff.

In the midst of the honky tonking and positive expressions of working class pride, the best song here by far comes from a bleaker angle. Along the same lines as the classic ‘My Elusive Dreams’, the protagonist of ‘I Promised You the World’ admits defeat in life, but is sustained by the love of the woman he feels he has let down:

I had dreams that were bigger than the Montana sky
We were gonna do great in Great Falls
I just knew we were, this time
But when winter finally broke, so were we
You’ll never know how bad that hurt
‘Cause this ain’t what I meant
When I promised you the world

I lost the farm in Kansas
Along with a lot of pride
And I almost lost my life
Down in that West Virginia mine
And that motel room in Memphis
Was a long ways from diamonds and pearls
And that sure ain’t what I meant
When I promised you the world

I swear your love is stronger
Than any dream of mine I’ve ever drug you through
And I swear I wasn’t lying
They just never did come true
You’ve always bet on this old gambler
Every time I gave the wheel a whirl
But this ain’t what I meant
When I promised you the world

Now this Shreveport sun is settin’
On another broken dream of mine
And I guess that mansion on the hill
Is pretty hard to see tonight
But as long as there’s a breath of life in me
I’m gonna get it for you, girl
‘Cause this ain’t what I meant
When I promised you the world

Set to a slow, reflective pace which sets it apart on a mainly up-tempo record, this is a real hidden gem which deserves to be better known, with a touching delivery from Aaron.

Overall, this is a solid album, which is mostly typical Tippin fare, with one hidden classic everyone should hear.

Grade: B

Album Review: Aaron Tippin – ‘You’ve Got To Stand For Something’

Aaron Tippin burst onto the scene in 1990 with the self-penned title track to his gold-selling debut album, offering listeners some life advice from his father about living with integrity. This sub-genre has become something of a cliché these days, but this example is pretty good, and Aaron’s honest sentiments shine through. It’s no surprise it was a big hit for him, and it stands up well today:

You’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything
You’ve got to be your own not a puppet on a string
Never compromise what’s right
And uphold your family name
You’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything

Tippin’s raw hillbilly whine is certainly an acquired taste, but his sincerity on this song is entirely convincing and the song’s positive self-reliance message was a hit with radio listeners, peaking at #6.
The song’s success led to the release of a full-scale album followed in 1991, produced by Emory Gordy Jr, which was gold-certified even though the subsequent singles flopped.

One of those failures was actually my favorite track on his debut album (and probably my all-time favorite Tippin recording), the desolate ballad ‘I Wonder How Far It Is Over You’. The protagonist finds out the hard way he can’t outrun the memory of his lost love, even walking across most of the United States when his car runs out of gas:

I was deep in California when I finally made a friend
It was me and that old hobo til you showed up again
But he ran out of liquor and I’ve run out of time
I’m standing by the ocean and you’re still on my mind
I’m staring at the water
So blue and deep and wide
And a man could lose a memory
Over on the other side

I wonder just how far it is over you
Is there no place I go
That you don’t come too?
Cause when I left Tennessee
Honey, I thought we were through
Now I wonder how far it is over you

A lonesome fiddle underlines the melancholy mood, and Aaron’s vocal sells the pain the protagonist is feeling. Maybe the song’s bleakness a little too depressing for radio, because it only just crept into the top 40, but it’s really worth listening to.

The third and last single ‘She Made A Memory Out Of Me’ performed even more poorly, although it is another good song. It makes good use of Tippin’s wailing whine, and almost sounds like a Hank Williams song, which may have been a step too far even in the neotraditional early 90s. ‘The Sky’s Got The Blues’ has a similar lonesome feel, with his voice almost shading into a yodel.

The finger-snapping ‘Ain’t That The Hell Of A Note’ tells the story of a man coming home from work to find his wife’s farewell message, casually mentioning in the middle of a numbered list of information points that she has decided to leave him (with no obvious reason, unless her reminder to take out the trash is a clue). It is appropriately followed by the regretful confession of a husband who made all the wrong choices, admitting that ‘The Man That Came Between Us (Was Me)’, which is one of the best tracks on the album. Either of these two might have made a good single.

‘Many Many Beers Ago’ is a likeable drinking through the heartbreak number, with solid pace and energy. The opening ‘In My Wildest Dreams’ is a pleasant mid-tempo love song about meeting the woman of his dreams; it offers nothing special but is decent enough, and was later covered by Kenny Chesney on his debut album. Also enjoyable but unexceptional is the brisk ‘I’ve Got A Good Memory’, bemoaning the lasting power of memories of an old love but with less emotional impact than the infinitely superior ‘I Wonder How Far It Is Over You’.

At the time the album was released, Tippin’s label RCA was notorious for trying to boost sales of CDs, then a relatively new format, and one which was priced higher than the more popular cassettes or vinyl, by adding bonus material. ‘Up Against You’ is the ‘bonus’ track, but it is pretty forgettable.

Overall, this was a strong debut by an artist whose unique voice stood out from the crowd, full of solid songs all written or co-written by Tippin himself.

Grade: A-

EP Review: Clint Black – ‘The Long Cool EP’

By the mid-2000s, the pressures of parenthood and running his own label had taken their toll on Clint’s recording career and songwriting, and his own musical output decreased considerably. In 2008 he issued his most recent collection of new music, The Long Cool EP, which was a digital-only release.

Included in the three-song collection was “The Strong One”, Clint’s single from the previous year. It was only the second single of his career that he did not have a hand in writing (the other one was his 1993 cover of The Eagles’ “Desperado”). A heartfelt tribute to his better half, the so-called “weaker sex”, “The Strong One” was penned by Bill Luther, Don Poythress and Chuck Jones. Less traditional than Clint’s early work, the recording embraces a softer sound that was more aligned with the preferences of contemporary country radio. Without the strong promotional support of a major label, “The Strong One” underperformed on the charts, peaking at #37. It is, however, one of the higher-charting singles from his stint with Equity, second only to 2004′s “Spend My Time” which reached #16.

Clint moved even further away from his country roots with the next single, from which the EP’s title is derived. “Long Cool Woman” has been a pop hit for The Hollies in 1972. I’ll admit to being completely ignorant of the original version, but I liked Clint’s take on the song a lot. Though it wasn’t the traditional country he was known for, it wasn’t as big an artistic stretch as one might think at first, and he sounded more refreshed and energized than he had in quite some time. It died at #58 and is the last single that Clint has released to date.

The EP’s remaining track is “You Still Get To Me”, a duet with Lisa Hartman-Black, which attempts to recreate the success the pair had originally enjoyed with “When I Say I Do” nearly a decade earlier. It is not a bad song, but it is not particularly memorable.

After purchasing The Long Cool EP from Amazon, I found out that the iTunes version contained a bonus track, a cover of Harry Nilsson’s “Everybody’s Talkin’”, which I’ve never heard.

The Long Cool EP was released in March 2008 and was intended to bridge the gap until Clint’s next album, which was slated for release later that year. Unfortunately, Equity Music Group’s financial difficulties delayed the release of the album, and in December the struggling label closed its doors, unable to withstand the loss of its one truly successful act, Little Big Town. None of the tracks from the EP is commercially available at the moment, to the best of my knowledge, but perhaps one day they will resurface on a compilation album.

Grade: B+

Album Review: Clint Black – ‘Drinkin’ Songs & Other Logic’

Clint’s second album for Equity was to be his last full length album to date. It was a return to form, and to more traditional sounds. However, it was not very successful commercially, with none of the singles charting within the top 40. Clint produced, and as usual, he wrote every song, mostly with confrere Hayden Nicholas, and his band provided the backings.

Steve Wariner co-wrote and guests on electric guitar on the title track, which is definitely a standout, with a bright up-tempo mod belying the sadness as Clint advises a diet of classic country music washed down with whiskey as a cure for a broken heart. There are liberal references to both singers and songs to pick up on, and I really enjoyed this track:

It’s a good life here in the nightlife, bathin’ in the neon glow
The bartender, me and the kings of country playin’ everything we know
The Red Headed Stranger’s smoking, he burned a hole in his guitar
And I’m drowning in a whiskey river, Lord, that’s running right through this bar

Clint himself sounds thoroughly energized and committed here, and sets the tone for an album full of drinking songs.

‘A Big One’ is another gem in the same vein, with a catchy barroom singalong vibe, which Clint wrote with Tim Nichols. He cheerfully points the finger of blame for his drinking at his ex:
I only need one good reason to keep on drinkin’

(You can guess what, or who, that is.)

He also takes refuge in the bottle in the sad but less memorable ballad ‘Thinkin’ Of You’. Western swing ballad ‘I Don’t Wanna Tell You’ has the protagonist stopping off for a beer while putting off that conversation about leaving, while the steel-laced ‘Longnecks & Rednecks’ is an upbeat paean to honky tonks and beer drunk from the bottle.

The very traditional shuffle ‘Heartaches’ compares physical ailments with emotional ones, with Clint begging the doctor for an intravenous injection of “something strong” to help with the pain in his heart .

‘Too Much Rock’ complains a little too obliquely about the state of country music:

I’m gonna put down this hoe and pick up my guitar
Plant some seeds down on Music Row
But it seems like this old town is a lot like on the farm
I keep plantin’, nothin’ ever seems to grow

His heart is in the right place, but the song doesn’t feel focussed.

The minor-keyed Western number ‘Code Of The West’ looks back with a wistful nostalgia to the black and white morality of old cowboy movies, which is earnest but cliche’d. The cowboy theme is more successful in the valedictory ‘Go It Alone’, a subtle farewell to an old friend.

The pessimistic ‘Rainbow In The Rain’ is also good:

There’s no such thing as old forgotten memories
No such thing as only one to blame
And I’m not one who’ll never see the forest for the trees
But I can’t find a rainbow in the rain

‘Back Home In Heaven’ is a touching song about coping with bereavement, inspired by the death of cowriter Hayden Nicholas’s mother. Little Big Town contribute (not very prominent) backing vocals, and it had a special resonance for them too, as it was Kimberly Schlapman’s first recording session after the tragically early death of her first husband. The soothing, pretty melody and sweetly inspirational lyrics work well together, and this is one of my favorites on the album.

The only real mis-step is the silly ‘Undercover Cowboy’, about a sleazy would-be lothario preying on women in bars.

Clint Black’s music can be hit and miss, and having not enjoyed the album prior to this one, I passed on it when it originally came out. Catching up for this review has been a pleasant surprise. Overall, while not in Killin’ Time territory, this is a very good album which stands among Clint’s better efforts. The limited promotion due to being on Clint’s own, now defunct, label, means it may have slipped through the cracks for many, but it’s definitely worth tracking down.

Grade: B+

Album Review – Clint Black – ‘Spend My Time’

The early 2000s brought a sea of change in Clint Black’s career. After the massive success of “When I Said I Do,” Black took three years away from the business to raise his daughter, who was born in 2001. His contract with RCA Nashville also expired during this time and left Black the opportunity to form his own label, Equity (the label that put Little Big Town on the map with The Road To Here in 2005.)

His first full-length project for the label, Spend My Time was released in 2004 and marked Black’s first album of all-new material since Nothin’ But The Tailights in 1997. He again produced the project solo, keeping with the tradition he set with his all acoustic set in 1999.

While Spend My Time was a comeback of sorts for Black, the changing tide of country music left very little room for the album on radio playlists and as a result, the singles faired poorly. He just missed the top 15 with the title track, a lovely ballad he penned solo. It’s a fantastic song about the passage of time, and while it could’ve been very cliché, he keeps it sincere with his honest vocal and neo-traditional arrangement.

He wrote #51 peaking second single “The Boogie Man” with noted songwriter Will Jennings. Black wrote the track for his young daughter and it exudes a pleasing playfulness that he nicely brings out in his vocal. The production, however, is a bit uncharacteristically thick and rockish for Black, but he keeps it in check with ear catching bluesy piano throughout. Final single “My Imagination,” a nice string heavy ballad, peaked at #42.

Like the majority of Black’s musical catalog Spend My Time is a solid effort. It’s clear he’s played with his winning formula a bit, taking out overly traditional arrangements and adding in a dash of poppier sounds that give the project a contemporary flare that keeps it modern without sounding dated. He also manages to sound completely himself, and avoids the pitfalls of changing too much too quickly.

The ballads are the record’s best tracks, toned down to offer nice clarity. “Whatever Happened” has a nice acoustic guitar laden melody while “Just Like You and Me” raises above Black’s somewhat shouty vocal thanks to ample steel. Those same elements also elevate “Someone Else’s Tears” and “A Lover’s Clown” sounds like something Black would’ve put on any of his mid-90s work.

I do have an issue with him vocally, however. He tends to over sing almost all the songs here, like his vocal was turned up to eleven while the backing music doesn’t match that intensity. He would’ve succeeded even further if he had just a bit more subtlety in his voice. That being said, his vocal gymnastics are well matched on the ample uptempo material, the places on Spend My Time where the album ranges in quality.

Black’s upbeat ‘sweet spot’ if you will are on tracks like “State of Mind” and “The Shoes Your Wearnin,’” where the drums and guitars don’t interfere with the song, but allow Black to roll along with a nice energy. Unfortunately, none of those such moments are found here. The reggae influenced “We All Fall Down,” 80s rock inspired “She’s Leavin,’” and choir heavy “A Mind To” are nothing more than noise, too loud in every respect to be enjoyed for the interesting lyric they probably are.

“Haywire” works beautifully because it leaves space for Black to deliver bluesy riffs reminiscent of “Put Yourself In My Shoes” that are firmly in his wheelhouse. It may not be to my personal taste, but it’s one of the standout tracks. “Everything I Need” is also very good, if a bit too loud. I’m not a huge fan of guitar rockers (like Brad and Keith are known for) but he makes this one work.

Overall, Spend My Time isn’t a bad album at all and marked a worthy return for Black. He still in fine voice and keeps the material up to his usual standard even if none of these songs (apart from the title track) are memorable in any significant way. He just needs to tone everything down a few notches and find a bit more tenderness, and he may’ve come closer to hitting a home run. As it stands Spend My Time is good effort that could’ve been a lot stronger. But I appreciate that he’s clearly putting in effort.

Grade: B

Album Review: Clint Black – ‘D’lectrified’

Clint Black’s swan song for RCA was the first album he produced by himself and arguably his most ambitious. As the title suggests, D’lectrified was recorded entirely with acoustic instruments, but rest assured, it is no quiet, stripped-down unplugged affair. By implementing a variety of instruments not usually used in country music — such as the clarinet, various saxophones and percussion, as well as a string section — he achieves a rich, full sound which causes the listener to sometimes forget that no electric instruments were used.

The album is also a departure from Clint’s usual practice of writing or co-writing every song. There is a great deal of cover material here and his choices are quite eclectic — from The Marshall Tucker Band’s “Bob Away My Blues” which opens the album, to Leon Russell’s “Dixie Lullaby” (done as a duet with Bruce Hornsby) and the novelty tune “Ode To the Galaxy”, which is quite likely the first time a major country music star covered Monty Python. A slightly re-worked version of “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way” appears as a tribute to Waylon Jennings, whose name is substituted for Hank’s in the title and lyrics. None of these tunes are in the vein of what fans had come to expect from Black, but all of them were quite well done.

The rest of the album is more conventional. Clint’s wife Lisa Hartman Black joined him on the sentimental and AC-leaning “When I Said I Do”, which was the album’s first single. I remember cringing upon learning that Clint’s wife would be his duet partner. I was unaware that she had released four unsuccessful pop albums between 1976 and 1987. Though she was no Loretta Lynn or Dolly Parton, she was a better vocalist than I’d expected. Radio loved the record, and it quickly rose to #1. It was Lisa’s first chart-topper and Clint’s last. It also reached #31 on the Billboard Hot 100. The album’s second single was “Been There”, on which Clint is joined by his co-writer Steve Wariner. Released in January 2000, it reached #5, becoming the last Top 10 hit of Clint’s career.

The album’s best track by far is “Love She Can’t Live Without”, a Black co-write with Skip Ewing. It should have been a monster hit, but it stalled at #30. I suspect that with Clint’s contract with RCA about to expire, the label did little to promote the record. The album’s weakest cut is “Harmony”, a duet with co-writer Kenny Loggins. A sappy and syrupy affair that plods along for nearly five and a half minutes, it is the album’s sole dud and quite possibly the worst thing Black ever recorded.

The remainder of D’lectrified consists primarily of re-worked versions of some of Clint’s earlier hits, such as “Burn One Down” and “No Time To Kill”. Both were done in a bluesy, jam-session style, which ironically are quite loud for acoustic recordings and Clint seems to be struggling at times to be heard over the arrangements. Neither holds its own against its original hit version; however, an acoustic guitar-led instrumental version of “Something That We Do”, which appears as a hidden track at the end of the album is quite nice.

Unlike all of Clint’s previous albums, D’lectrified failed to attain platinum status, though it did earn gold certification (his last studio album to do so). After the album was released, Black left RCA to found his own label, Equity Music Group, which was meant to introduce a new business model to the music industry by allowing artists to keep a greater share of the profits they generated. The experiment did not succeed, and neither did any of Clint’s recordings for the fledgling label. D’lectrified, his last truly successful album, was an adventurous project and is worth seeking out.

Grade: A

Album Review – Clint Black – ‘Nothin’ But The Taillights’

After the somewhat lackluster One Emotion Clint Black regrouped by issuing his first Greatest Hits album, an effort surprising for its poor representation of his debut album (only “Killin’ Time” and “A Better Man” are included) among other noticeable absences. It still managed to go double platinum and included two big hits – the guitar ballad “Like The Rain” (a favorite of mine) and somewhat aggressive “Half Way Up.” The former would be another #1 hit for Black in the fall of 1996.

He returned with a new album in 1997, previewing it with “Still Holding On,” a duet with Martina McBride. Co-written with Matraca Berg and Marty Stuart, the track served as the lead single for both Black and McBride’s new releases that year. It peaked at #11 and became Black’s first single not to chart top 10. I’ve always loved the song and consider it a nice slice of pop-country, even if it is a tad generic from two label mates looking to cash in on each other’s success.

The next three singles from Nothin’ But The Taillights helped to greatly reverse Black’s fortunes and became three of his most impactful hits since his debut album. Black and Skip Ewing co-wrote “Something That We Do,” a love song inspired by Black’s marriage to actress Lisa Hartman Black. It’s a beautiful song, albeit a tad long, and one of the most endearing professions of love since Alan Jackson’s “I’ll Love You All Over Again.”

“Something That We Do” may’ve peaked at #2, but his next two singles were chart toppers. The Steve Wariner co-written title track is an upbeat guitar heavy (and comical) wife-pissed-off song that was played to death in early 1998 to the point where I can’t even listen to it today. I don’t hate it, but the novelty has worn off. I have the opposite reaction to “The Shoes Your Wearin,’” which finds Black writing with Hayden Nicholas again. I love everything about this track, from the drums and electric guitars to Black’s vocal.

Black and Nicholas also teamed up for the next single, “Loosen Up My Strings,” which peaked at #12. Another thickly produced number; Black’s popularity likely benefited its chart run, as it should’ve been left as an album track. The neo-traditional-leaning “You Don’t Need Me Know” charted lower, peaking at #29. I don’t even remember it being a single, but it’s an excellent song with a refreshingly understated melody and vocal.

Of the album tracks, “Our Kind of Love” is a country/bluegrass tune with Alison Krauss and Union Station and “Ode To Chet” is a classic Black type song in tribute to Chet Atkins, which features fancy guitar work from Atkins himself, Dann Huff, Wariner, and Mark Knopler. Both are fabulous, although Black could’ve benefited from giving a more restrained vocal on the collaboration with Krauss. It’s beautiful melody but he comes on a bit too strong for it all to be fully appreciated. “That Something In My Life” is also very strong while “You Know It All” and “Bitter Side of Sweet” are the album’s two weakest offerings.

Nothin’ But The Taillights really is the project that put Black back on top. Not since his debut had he experienced such impactful signature hits has he does here. I really enjoy this period of Black’s career as this is when I started following and enjoying his music as a kid. If Killin’ Time was Black’s neo-traditional masterpiece, Nothin’ But The Taillights marked his highest artistic achievement in pop and even somewhat rock country.

Grade: A-

Album Review: Clint Black – ‘One Emotion’

While it yielded five top 5 hit singles and was Clint’s fifth (and last) platinum album, 1994’s One Emotion is one of his least inspired, and as Clint served (as usual) as the writer or co-writer of every song no-one else can be blamed. Sadly, the one emotion I feel through almost all this album is boredom.

Lead single ‘Untanglin’ My Mind’ was a co-write with Merle Haggard, and is one of the few tracks to bear comparison with Clint’s best work. It is an excellent classic ballad about the painful aftermath of a failed relationship, with some tasteful fiddle supporting the wearied but accepting mood, and. It peaked at a respectable #4 and stands head and shoulders above everything else here:

I’m sure no one will wonder where I’ve gone to
But if anyone should ask from time to time
Tell them that you finally drove me crazy
And I’m somewhere untanglin’ my mind

Tell ‘em I won’t be ridin’, I’ll be walkin’
‘Cause I don’t think a crazy man should drive
Anyway, the car belongs to you now
Along with any part of me that’s still alive
But there’s really not much left you could hold onto
And if you did it wouldn’t last here anyway
It’d head to where the rest of me rolled onto
So even if I wanted to, I couldn’t stay

The blandly philosophical blues-imbued ‘Wherever You Go’ reached #3 but is less to my taste and while inoffensive, is not particularly insightful (the message is that you can’t escape your problems by running away).

‘Summer’s Comin’’ is rather boring but its cheerful feel propelled it to the top of the chart. Clint was obviously in a seasonal mood when writing this album because the later ‘A Change In The Air’ is about impending fall; this one sounds pleasantly mellow but lacks depth, although I prefer it to ‘Summer’s Comin’’. The one-two combination is redolent of a creative writing exercise and it’s not hard to suspect Clint was lacking inspiration generally at this point.

The incredibly boring title track unfortunately has nothing to recommend it but a pleasant background melody, but somehow almost made it to the #1 spot on the charts, topping out at #2.

The middle of the album is badly bogged down with a trio of particularly dull tracks. ‘Life Gets Away’ (amazingly a #4 hit single) and ‘I Can Get By’ are forgettable attempts at deep philosophical messages which are really just bland, obvious truisms. ‘Hey Hot Rod’ is a boring rocker featuring Clint’s trademark harmonica as its sole point of interest.

The swingy and well-played ‘You Walked By’ is quite enjoyable, and I liked it better than any of the singles apart from ‘Untanglin’ My Mind’. However, it leads into ‘You Made Me Feel’ written with blue-eyed soul man Michael McDonald, which is back to the dull and forgettable.

The CD version includes bonus tracks of Clint’s previous hits ‘A Good Run Of Bad Luck’ and Wynonna duet ‘A Bad Goodbye’.

The best one can say about most of the songs on this album is that they sound decent (something one almost took for granted in the early 90s but makes this album sound a lot better in today’s context), but the lyrics, while inoffensive, are oh so boring. Even at bargain basement used prices, this one is not worth it. Download ‘Untanglin’ My Mind’ and ‘You Walked By’ and skip the rest.

Grade: C-

Album Review – Clint Black – ‘No Time To Kill’

By the time Clint Black released his fourth album No Time To Kill, he had finally gotten his career on track after his multiple court appearances and delayed third album The Hard Way. He once again turned to producer James Stroud and watched his career elevate to an even higher level.

A duet with then red-hot Wynonna Judd entitled “A Bad Goodbye” was the album’s first single, peaking at #2 in summer 1993. A string-laced piano ballad, it marked Black’s first foray into a slicker sound but didn’t compromise his artistic integrity. I quite like this one, mostly due to the track’s understated nature and the pair’s equally strong vocal performances.

As if to prove Black hadn’t gone pop, RCA Nashville followed up with the title track, another top 5 hit. “No Time to Kill” was a play on words with the title of his debut record, although the similarities between the two songs end there. “No Time to Kill” introduced Black’s jam band tendencies and brought the energy of his electric stage show to an album for the first time. The liveliness of the track is infectious, and I love the mix of drums, fiddle, and dobro throughout.

Possibly my favorite single from No Time to Kill is “State of Mind,” which rightfully went to #2 in the fall of 1993. I love everything about this song from the use of harmonica on the intro to the fiddle that welcomes you about a minute in. It’s just an all around feel good song, which is surprising given the subject matter (a man on the mend from a bad relationship).

The album’s sole number one hit (and another favorite of mine) came from “A Good Run of Bad Luck,” a gambling themed number also featured on the soundtrack to the movie Maverick starring Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster. Like “No Time To Kill,” “A Good Run of Bad Luck” perfectly echoes Black’s energy on stage, which made the number perfect for playing live.

The only odd single choice from No Time To Kill is “Half The Man,” which peaked at #4 in 1994. There’s nothing wrong with the song, although the neo-traditional arrangement is a crutch for Black to regress a little. He doesn’t bring anything fresh to this type of song and it probably only received airplay thanks to Black’s popularity at the time. Much better is the Western Swing meets Bluegrass influenced “Tuckered Out,” which peaked at #74 due to unsolicited airplay. The high-energy number shows another side to Black’s musical persona, and it’s far more sonically interesting than “Half The Man,” which is more forgettable than anything else.

Of the remaining songs, “I’ll Take Texas” plays up Black’s Merle Haggard influence both sonically and vocally while “Back To Back” is an excellent mid-tempo number driven by dobro. I can’t say the same for the remaining two as “Thinkin’ Again” and “Happiness Alone” are boring neo-traditional numbers that lack the spark Black brought to his earlier work in that vein. But No Time To Kill is a fantastic album overall and a true standout from a singer/songwriter unwilling to forgo taking risks. It’s worthwhile addition to the collection of any true country fan.

Grade: A 

Album Review: Clint Black – ‘The Hard Way’

Clint Black’s third album was delayed somewhat by his legal battles with his management team. When the case was finally settled, The Hard Way was released in July 1992. Clint shared production duties with James Stroud and had a hand in writing all of the album’s songs, mostly with his usual songwriting partner Hayden Nicholas, but he also collaborated with a few outside writers as well. Unfortunately, this is the point in Clint’s career when the quality of his songs began to falter; The Hard Way is an uneven and largely unmemorable affair that would likely have benefited had Black not insisted on recording only material for which he shared songwriting credits.

By now Clint’s popularity had lost some ground to Garth Brooks, but The Hard Way’s singles were still all well received by radio; “We Tell Ourselves” reached #2, “Burn One Down” (my personal favorite) landed at #4 and “When My Ship Comes In” climbed all the way to #1. Oddly, “When My Ship Comes In”, the album’s highest-charting single was omitted from Clint’s greatest hits package which was released a few years later.

The album marks the beginning of a subtle shift away from traditional country with songs like the slightly rock-tinged “Something To Cry About”, which is the album’s weakest track. The rest are fairly conventional recordings which are firmly within the scope of what was considered to be mainstream at the time. None of them are terrible, but none of them are particularly great, either, with the exception of “Burn One Down” which is as good as anything on Clint’s first two albums. There are a few album cuts that I like better than the singles, such as “A Woman Has Her Way”, “Wake Up Yesterday”, and “There Never Was a Train”, which only appears on the CD version of the album, as RCA was still engaging in its stingy practice of only including 9 tracks on cassette.

The Hard Way is not Clint’s very best work, although he would go on to release a few albums that were much worse. That being said, it is far superior to most of what Nashville is trying to peddle today. It is worth seeking out only because it can be obtained very inexpensively; otherwise, I would just stick with the Greatest Hits album and give this one a miss.

Grade: B

Album Review: Clint Black – ‘Put Yourself In My Shoes’

Clint Black has one of the most stunning impacts on country music of any new artist with his 1998 debut album Killin’ Time. Its four #1 hit singles (and one #3) and the sheer quality of the young singer-songwriter’s work catapulted Black to the top at the very start of his career. My colleague Razor X reviewed that groundbreaking debut album when we looked back at the 20th anniversary of the Class of ’89 – catch up with his review here.

Clint’s second album was less remarkable than his exceptional debut but still a solid collection, which James Stroud produced. They utilised Clint’s road band once more, and they do a nice job, with Clint himself playing guitars and his trademark harmonica. He wrote every song, mostly with Hayden Nicholas, and while he had clearly used up his best material on the debut there are some good songs here.

The harmonica-led title track, which was the lead single. The fact that its peak of #4 made it his poorest performing single to date is testament to the stunning success he had enjoyed so far. The song itself isn’t bad, but not that memorable either, with the jazzy mid-tempo tune detracting from the heartbreak. Luckily the remaining singles were better.

In fact, the album’s second single was its very best song, the outstanding ‘Loving Blind’, which would have fitted in well on Killin’ Time. It was Clint’s fifth chart topper, and was a solo composition. The disenchanted protagonist has lost in love, and feels isolated:

Well, I sit here all alone
No one’s gonna do me wrong
Tonight

…

Well I don’t know what I need
Since I’ve been freed
I’m a horse without a rider
And there’s no one left to take the lead

I’ve been loving blind
Loving every heart I could call mine
I’ve been loving blind
So sure there was something I could find
But I just couldn’t see
There was nothing there for me

The followup, ‘One More Payment’ is a good-humored Western Swing take on hard times and debt, also written with Russell. It reached #7 and is very good. The downbeat ballad ‘Where Are You Now’, another fine song, with Clint exploring the lower extent of his baritone voice, was the album’s final single and its second #1 hit.

Also excellent is the insightful and empathetic ‘A Heart Like Mine’, which explores the difficulties and uncertainties of dating:

I crossed that line and got that cold shoulder
You probably think I’m full of it
But I don’t think you’ll ever find such emptiness

This heart of mine’s
Just looking for
A heart like mine
Who’s just looking for
What it can find
Still looking for
A heart like mine

The gently melodic melancholy ‘The Gulf Of Mexico’ has tasteful Spanish guitar and poetic lyrics as Clint says farewell to a loved one. ‘The Goodnight Loving’ is a western story song about a past-Civil War outlaw determined to die before he goes to prison, which is pretty good although it’s stronger on portrait and mood than plot.

A couple of the tracks work less well for me, like the boring ‘Muddy Water’. ‘The Old Man’ has a strong melody but its pondering on old age is just not that interesting. ‘This Nightlife’ picks up the tempo, but the pace seems to be at odds with the wearied lyrics.

Like its predecessor, this album has been certified triple platinum. While it’s not quite as good as that stellar effort, it’s worth adding to your collection, especially at used prices.

Grade: B+

Album Review: Collin Raye – ‘Twenty Years And Change’

After exiting Epic, Collin Raye signed to independent label Aspirion, and four years after the release of his last Epic album, he went back into the studio. Unfortunately, the result was his most pop-AC styled records to date, and also his worst.

The album opens with the bland moral advice of ‘I Know That’s Right’, written by Bob DiPiero, Rivers Rutherford and Tom Shapiro. It was released as a single but failed to chart, as did the up-tempo ‘Hurricane Jane’, which is frankly pretty bad.

Band member and co-producer Gene Lesage (whose tragic death was reported a couple of weeks ago) contributed several songs, the best of which is the melodic piano ballad ‘We’ll Be Alright’, which has a sweet, sincere delivery. ‘Heart’ is quite pleasant, while ‘Forgotten’ sounds nice enough but is a little dull.

Collin himself wrote a couple of songs. The drippy ballad ‘All I Can Do Is Love You’ is a co-write with pop/AC singer-songwriter Melissa Manchester; the title track, written by Collin on his own, is a story song with a melody reminiscent of a Beatles song.

Rory Feek’s Civil War story song ‘Josephine’ is dramatic, but perhaps a little over-emoted; Feek’s own more understated recent version ends up being much more effective and memorable.

There is one absolutely outstanding and unmistakably country track, ‘You’re Not Drinking Enough’. In this gem, the protagonist offers cynical advice to a lovelorn friend:

You keep telling yourself you can take it
You keep telling yourself that you’re tough
But you still want to hold her
So you must not be drinking enough

You’re not drinking enough
To wash away old memories
And there ain’t enough whiskey in Texas
To keep you from begging
“Please, please, please”

She passed on your passion
She stepped on your pride
It turns out you ain’t quite so tough
Cause you still want to hold her
You must not be drinking enough

It is a cover of a song originally recorded in 1984 by the Eagles’ Don Henley and a minor hit for Earl Thomas Conley in 1989 under the title ‘You Must Not Be Drinking Enough’; surprisingly it broke Conley’s hot streak of chart toppers but it is a great song which deserved better success. Colin’s version is very good, and by far the best track on this otherwise disappointing effort.

There are some better-known covers, including two pop hits for artists with country careers. The Bellamy Brothers’ ‘Let Your Love Flow’ works quite well but is even less country than the original, Conway Twitty’s pop hit ‘It’s Only Make Believe’ is a bit overwrought. AC ballad ‘The Search Is Over’ has nothing to do with country music (it is a cover of a hit for 80s rock band Survivor), but is one of the better tracks, thanks to a smooth vocal.

Although it is available cheaply, this is really not a worthwhile purchase. Download ‘Youre Not Drinking Enough’, and leave it at that.

Grade: D+

Album Review – Collin Raye – ‘Can’t Back Down’

Can’t Back Down, Collin Raye’s seventh studio album, came just eight months after Tracks and did nothing to reverse his already declining fortunes. He took on co-producer James Stroud for the project, but that didn’t help matters, and he exited Epic shortly thereafter.

“Ain’t Nobody Gonna Take That From Me” peaked at #43 and it’s an excellent song, evidenced by Joe Nichols cover on 2007’s Real Things. Raye’s version, however, was a bit too poppy, but he gives a pleasant vocal and has some nice fiddle riffs throughout. The breathy religious-tinged ballad “What I Need” failed to chart.

The main problem with the album is the generic nature of the proceedings – Raye and Stroud fail to amass a collection of songs that rise above average, with the song selection failing to be anything terribly memorable let alone hit worthy. Raye spends the project trying to fit in with the early 2000s Nashville crowd, thus spending too much time pandering and not enough time finding great songs.

That being said this isn’t a terrible album, but it isn’t up to Raye’s usual standards. “Gypsy Honeymoon” does boast a nice up-beat production, but Raye’s raspy vocal is a bit off-putting. He charges up the production again on “Young As We’re Ever Gonna Be” (which he co-wrote), to much better results, pulling off what sounds like a long-lost Mary Chapin Carpenter anthem circa Stones In The Road.

Raye again looses his way on the majority of the ballads. “Dear Life” attempts to be inspirational but his breathy vocal and the AC-leaning piano hinder the enjoyment. “What I Did For Love” and “One Desire” are just odd and feature a sonically out of place drum machine that does little more but water down Raye’s usual tenderness into a pop-meets-R&B concoction that’s far more LA than Nashville.

Raye does attempt to regain his footing in the mainstream, though, and you have to credit a man for trying. “It Could Be That Easy” sounds like it could’ve come from any of his previous records, but it just isn’t nearly as strong. “Dancing With No Music Playing” and “End of the World” have the best production (with the latter best representing Raye’s glory days), but they fall up short thanks to weak lyrical content and somewhat scrawny vocal performances. “I Can’t Let Go Now” is just too slow, and the string section makes the track too sleepy for my tastes.

It’s easy to see why Can’t Back Down marked the end of Raye’s mainstream career – it just wasn’t a great album. I’m all for applauding artists when they grow stylistically, but Raye seems like he’s changed. Save the first single and “Young As We’re Ever Gonna Be,” this isn’t the same man who had a long string of hits just a few years earlier. The ballads don’t pack the same punch and his voice doesn’t sound like it’s aging gracefully, which is a shame. But it isn’t his worst album. It may be among his safest, but it isn’t dreck.

Grade: B-

Album Review: Collin Raye – ‘Tracks’

Collin Raye was one of country music’s hottest male singers during the 1990s but by the end of the decade his career had begun to lose momentum. Though 1998′s The Walls Came Down managed to produce three Top 10 singles, it sold only about half the number of copies of his previous albums, and was his first album not to earn platinum certification. In an effort to remain commercially viable, he changed musical directions and released Tracks, an album that is as uninspired as its title. Dann Huff was his new co-producer — which is never a good sign — and the album that resulted found Collin moving even further away from his country roots and further into R&B and mainstream pop.

The opening track, “She’s All That” is a retread of 1994′s “My Kind of Girl” and could just as easily been titled “Been There, Done That”. Radio programmers were unimpressed; when the track was released as the album’s third single, it topped out at #43. The second track “I Want To Be There” is a tedious R&B flavored number and the third track “Completely”, while slightly more country-sounding, is equally tiresome.

“Couldn’t Last A Moment” isn’t one of my favorite Collin Raye songs, but it’s one of the better songs in this collection. The spoken intro reminds me of one of Conway Twitty’s early 80s efforts. Released as a single in advance of the album, “Couldn’t Last A Moment” brought Raye into the Top 10 one final time, landing at #3. The uptempo and more country-sounding “A Long Way To Go” is a breath of fresh air and is by far the album’s best track.

Two of the album’s tracks — “Harder Cards” and “Water and Bridges” were co-produced by Paul Worley, and both were later covered by Kenny Rogers. “Harder Cards” is told from the point of view of a policeman who is dealing with the dregs of humanity, while “Water and Bridges” is the story of an unplanned pregnancy that ends with an abortion and the regret that lingers long afterward.

Aside from “The Gift”, which was a previously unreleased track on Collin’s 1997 hits compilation, none of his previous albums contained any duets. “Loving This Way”, a duet with soap star Bobbie Eakes, is a mainstream pop ballad. It’s a bit overproduced and not very country, but it’s not a bad song. It was more suited to adult contemporary radio, though it did not make the AC charts at all. It stalled at #50 on the country charts.

The album’s closing number “She’s Gonna Fly” is about an Alzheimer’s patient whose caregiver questions the Almighty’s motives. It’s meant to be inspirational but the it’s too saccharine for my taste.

Tracks did little to change Collin Raye’s declining commercial fortunes. It failed to earn gold status and marked the beginning of the end of his dominance on the singles charts. It is one of his poorer efforts and arguably his worst album. It is not essential listening but used copies are available very cheaply, so those who want to hear it can do so affordably.

Grade: C

Album Review – Collin Raye – ‘I Think About You’

1995 was a good year for Collin Raye. Coming off the success of Extremes, he released I Think About You in late August. Like its three predecessors, it received a platinum certification and retained John Hobbs as producer (Ed Seay and Paul Worley co-produced).

I Think About You was instrumental in shaping my country music identity as it was one of the first country projects I was exposed to as a kid, and remains my third favorite country album to this day (behind Mary Chapin Carpenter’s Come On, Come On and Dixie Chicks Home). The hits from this project have a special quality I’ve never been able to duplicate with any other artists’ work.

Mark Alan Springer and Shane Smith co-wrote the #2 peaking lead single, “One Boy, One Girl,” a fantastically touching ballad centered around the full-circle love affair between a couple. The ending of the story is a bit predicable, but Raye gives the type of touching performance only he could bring to a ballad, and both Dan Digmore and Paul Franklin drench the number in gorgeous pedal steel.

Even better is “Not That Different,” Karen Taylor-Good and Joie Scott’s song about indifference that climbed to #3. I love how the song builds, starting out as a simple piano ballad and building to its drum-infused conclusion with the bridge. The lyric, both simple and brilliant, is fine testament to the powers of fate, and probably my favorite on the whole album:

She could hardly argue

With his pure and simple logic

But logic never could convince a heart

She had always dreamed of loving someone more exotic

And he just didn’t seem to fit the part

So she searched for greener pastures

But never could forget

What he whispered when she left

Album Review: Collin Raye – ‘Extremes’

Mainstay John Hobbs was joined by Ed Seay and Paul Worley to produce Collin’s third album, extremes. There was a concerted effort to expand Collin’s range with more rocking material, an artistic mistake in my opinion, but it was rewarded with commercial success, with five top 10 hits and platinum sales.

Collin screams out the first single, Lee Roy Parnell’s ‘That’s My Story’, a husband’s attempts to brazen out blatant lies to his wife. The amusing tale would have worked well for Parnell (and the arrangement and production are very much in his style, but it really doesn’t suit Collin’s voice, even though it was a #6 hit for him. The album’s only chart-topper, the fourth single, ‘My Kind of Girl’ is also a screamer, but a lyrically boring one.

Happily, the album also contains some beautiful ballads more in Collin’s style. Although it peaked just short of the top slot on the charts, ‘Little Rock’ may be the most important song ever recorded by Collin Raye, with its abashed, clear sighted depiction of a recovering alcoholic doing his best to cope with the loss of his wife as well as maintaining his sobriety. Written by Tom Douglas, perhaps it could do without the swelling strings, although the song’s strength is undiminished.

My favorite track is the melancholy lost love ‘Man Of My Word’, which peaked at #8. Written by Allen Shamblin and Gary Burr, it is a beautiful song in which the protagonist’s fidelity outlasts her loss (perhaps her death), gently paced and set to a lovely melody, with a subtle interpretation by Raye.

I’ll go to my grave with this torch held high
But just once I wish I’d told you a lie

When I said my love would last for all time
And no one would take your place
Well, if that promise was the last sound you heard
Well, you know I kept it
I’m a man of my word

The final single, #4 hit ‘If I Were You’ is a big ballad written by Hobbs with Chris Farren with a heavily strung arrangement. It’s quite prettily done, but not very memorable.

The best of the up-tempos is the fast story song ‘To The Border And Beyond’, which Collin wrote. Some wildly sawing fiddle backs up a frenetic vocal as Collin spits out the story of the outlaw Dugan. ‘Nothin’ A Little Love Won’t Cure’ is another rocker, and is an okay song written by the curious partnership of Rick Bowles, Don Cook and Larry Boone.

Written by Craig Wiseman and James Dean Hicks, the warm-hearted tale of a mother’s farewell gift of ‘A Bible And A Bus Ticket Home’ to a teenager leaving home with Nashville dreams, is tenderly sung and a definite highlight.

A cover of the classic ‘Dreaming My Dreams With You’ sounds very pretty, while ‘Angel Of No Mercy’ is another love song with a lovely melody, both ideally suited to Collin’s voice.

Despite some missteps Extremes is still a worthwhile purchase, especially as it can be obtained cheaply.

Grade: A-

Album Review: Collin Raye – ‘In This Life’

Collin Raye’s sophomore disc is slightly more polished and less neotraditional than his debut effort. John Hobbs returned to co-produce the album, this time with Garth Fundis, who replaced All I Can Be’s co-producer Jerry Fuller. The title track and lead single was an obvious — and successful — attempt to capitalize on the success of “Love, Me” and cement Raye’s reputation as a ballad singer. “In This Life”, written by Mike Reid and Allen Shamblin spent two weeks at #1 in the autumn of 1992. It also reached #21 on the Adult Contemporary chart and might have been considered Raye’s career record had he not already recorded “Love, Me”.

If “In This Life” helped solidify Collin’s credentials as a balladeer, the next single “I Want You Bad (And That Ain’t Good)” was meant to ensure that he didn’t get pigeonholed. The uptempo number has just a bit of a rock edge, but the vocal is a little shouty and it doesn’t quite work for me. It is my least favorite track on the album and possibly my least favorite of all of Raye’s singles. While it did not chart as high as the three records that preceded it, it managed to peak at a respectable #7. “Somebody Else’s Moon”, another ballad, saw him return to the Top 5, as did “That Was A River”, yet another ballad which is just a little too syrupy and one of the weakest tracks on the album.

It will come as no surprise to longtime readers that my favorite song on the disc is also its most traditional. “You Can’t Take It With You” is a suprisingly upbeat number about an unraveling relationship; Collin tells his soon-to-be ex:

When I gave you my heart, I gave it forever
But you can’t take it with you when you go.

The Texas two-step number was written by Kix Brooks, Don Cook and Chick Rains and features some excellent fiddling by Rob Hajacos. Stylistically, it would have been more at home on Collin’s first album. It should have been released as a single, and so should Hugh Prestwood’s “Latter Day Cowboy”, another one of my favorites from this collection.

The collection also includes a pair of remakes. Collin covers Johnny Cash’s “Big River”, which is a decent effort, but Raye is no Man In Black. His rendition of the pop standard “Let It Be Me”, which closes the album, is more suited to his voice.

Like its predecessor, In This Life earned platinum certification in the US and gold status in Canada. While not quite as good as his debut album, it is one of the stronger entries in his discography. Cheap copies are readily available and worth purchasing.

Grade: A-