The whopping 16th album from the modern classical country star dropped today, to a hell of a lot of hype! We’ve checked out a couple in recent years, and I’m becoming a big fan, so when this came across our desk I wanted to deep dive into it and really see what it is about. Especially since it seems like such a concept/theatrical release. Let’s dive in, ladies and gents!
After a brief intro track, Theme I setting the tone perfectly, ‘Lonesome Dove’ is a fantastic opening song. The classic country sound is encapsulated perfectly by Crockett, and this is so very Hank I or Haggard. It’s simple and steady, but so fantastically written and performed. The acoustic chords and basic drumbeat are a backdrop for Charley’s powerful vocals and amazing lyrics. And still it’s a catchy chorus, especially the last one when the backing vocals join it. It’s a great, chilled way to open the album!
‘Rancho Deluxe (Main Theme)’ is a simple two minute track that keeps the same vibe going, as well as continuing the story and theme of the album to perfection. He’s such a fantastic storyteller, definitely up there with the best among the oft-forgotten art in the mainstream currently. And instrumentally, while it is rather basic by today’s standards, it all still slots together perfectly, and the overall product of everyone’s work is excellent. And it almost feels like another intro track to ‘My Last Drink of Wine’, which I loved.
Speaking of that track, it’s the first highlight of the album, for me! Starting off the same as the other tracks, it actually picks up the pace a little into a memorable chorus. It’s more something you can dance to, which is always fun. Also, the piano coming in for the second verse was excellent, adding to the old-timey feel but also completely fitting in with the rest of the song. In fact, the almost constant instrumentation between each part is fascinating writing, and kept me hooked throughout. We even get a great little guitar solo to close things out! It’s an excellent traditional country track, and one that easily makes it onto our playlist! It’s probably the closest to a radio-friendly track so far, too.
‘Fastest Gun Alive’ is another steady track, but another great, radio-hook of a chorus! The same can be said for ‘Crazy Woman Ridge’ and ‘Me & Shooter’. All are awesome tracks that are up there alongside ‘Last Drink…’ for me as firm album highlights. However, they all also feel different from each other, with the latter being an excellent bluegrass song! I love that they are spread throughout the album too, keeping it constantly varied and interesting. However, I do think it’s in tracks like these are where his band shine through the most as they have the most to do, and that big-band-country style is definitely a big favourite of mine. If you are going to check out any songs from the album, let it be these four. However, they are far from the only good songs on the release!
Meanwhile, songs like ‘Diamond Belle’, ‘I Shot Jesse James’, ‘Sweet Mother Texas’ and ‘Billy McLane’ are more slower, simpler tracks again. They are very much more focused on just Charley’s vocals and guitar, even if there are some other basic instruments adding to the overall sound. None are inherently bad songs by any stretch, and I like that they are generally a bit more spread out throughout, not slowing the pace down for extended periods at once. Once again, the latter is probably my favourite of the trio, it having the most to it with the piano being prominent too, and the lyrics were damn interesting!
We also get a few more interlude/story tracks. Two more ‘Life & Times of Billy McLane’s and another ‘Rancho Deluxe’ keep the story flowing excellently. It’s a bit of a lost art form these days, especially in the country scene, but it makes the whole album a must-listen from front-to-back, and without them I would genuinely say the release wouldn’t be as good. Plus, ‘… (End Theme)’ is honestly one of my favourite songs on the album, another easy highlight. My only slight confusion comes with there being another six tracks after it. Despite the storyline going on, it still feels like maybe it would have served a better purpose being the album closer!
‘Kentucky Too Long’ is another fantastic song that feels a bit more riff based, clearly drawing on more of a blues inspiration. The riffing is excellent, as is the soloing throughout, and the track as a whole feels like some combination of Merle, ZZ Top and even Lenny Kravitz at times. It’s still a chilled-out, stripped-back song, but is once again something different on an album that is fairly long, so it is more than welcomed. And, as I said it, it’s a damn good song in its own right! Another song that I would highly recommend, especially if you are into more of a blues vibe!
Then, there are a few shorter tracks sprinkled throughout. ‘Remembering Pat’ is an interesting song from a lyrical standpoint, and honestly I’d have taken more than 45-seconds of it. ‘Border Winds’ is a fun little vocal melody with just a slight guitar part behind it, while ‘Powder River’ is another fun outlier of a track that channels more of that bluegrass or real old-school western vibe to it. It’s another one that I’d have happily taken as a whole song, but am still glad of its inclusion here. It also bleeds rather perfectly into its following track, ‘Low Down Freedom’. Said song continues that same sort of vibe, definitely once again having a blues edge to it, even if it’s a steadier tempo and more chilled for the most part. However, it’s another that has an incredible chorus to it, designed to be played to huge festival crowds, and that repeating blues riff is AWESOME! Another huge highlight on an album seemingly packed full of them!
The final track on the album, ‘Cover my Trail Tonight’, feels like it draws together everything before it, somehow capping off something so grandiose excellently. An overall dark Western feel, packed full of some amazing lyrics and instrumentation. The guitaring is just as big of a high point as the vocals, too. It’s everything Crockett is about rolled up into an under four minute package, and is another one that is an absolute must-check-out!
Overall: I absolutely loved this! Having gotten into him the last couple of years or so, I can safely say this is my favourite thing I’ve checked out from him. It feels like the most concise things he’s put out in recent times, wild given the releases sprawl, and it has more than a couple of songs that I would put up there with his very best! Charley’s talent is undeniable, and I’m so glad he’s finally getting the recognition he deserves for it. If you are into a more classic country sound, this release is an absolute must!
The Score: 8.5/10
