Charlie Robison's latest effort sports an aggressive country tone laced with cynical and moody lyrics. In a way, such a point of view is nothing new to the genre, but in the same respect, such themes are often overlooked in the so-called "new country" arena. Just because Robison balances out the new breeds while paying homage to the old timers, from John Prine to Hank Williams, doesn't mean he's doing listeners a favor. After awhile, hearing so much about partying, drinking, and heartache can put the listener in a low mood.
Take for instance the disc's second cut "The Preacher," where Robison sounds like the southern inspired Shawn Mullins. The lyrics speak contempt of a church leader whom Robison spent numerous amounts of time confessing his sins to. When the preacher dies, Robison seems excited and claims that all of his sins went with his dead pastor. He sarcastically sings "Well bless my heart, let the good times roll/ 'Cause my sins went with him when they put him in the hole."
"Tonight" sounds like one of those good old "drinking with the boys" songs. It's clear that those within the framework of the track place all of their faith in the pleasures of this world, rather than the love of God. He sings "Collecting young girls just like fireflies in a jar/ Your glass is all empty 'cause her wings took flight/ So fill'er up good Joe, 'cause anything might happen tonight." Robison goes on to speak of lust on the NRBQ cover "I Want You Bad," depression during "Desperate Times," and excess in "Life of the Party."
The brightest song on the disc is the tender ballad "The Wedding Song," a duet with Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks. It speaks of a young couple getting married in a simple way, in a casual outdoor barbecue setting. It's hard to gather exactly where the duet partners are coming from, other than the fact that simplicity can help overcome the common burdens of a life long relationship.
Perhaps the negative and party influenced lyrical slant comes from the fact that Robison wrote some of the songs with a bachelor's mentality. In 1999, he married the Dixie Chicks' Emily Erwin and has probably toned down his act a bit since then. That's the main element that would have made this disc more enjoyable since at a musicianship level, the project is pretty solid.
1.5 tocks
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