Wade Hayes

Item: Highways & Heartaches
Author: Andy Argyrakis

Highways & Heartaches

(2000)

Reviewed by Andy Argyrakis

Discogs Apple Music TIDAL Spotify

Label Monument RecordsThe Phantom Tollbooth2001

americana country

Rising country star Wade Hayes is trying to keep up the momentum he's had throughout the last five years with his latest release Highways & Heartaches. The compositions included on the album are not only his best sounding collection, but also his deepest in terms of meaning.

Hayes is a mix between the traditional country of Brad Paisley and the contemporary stylings of Joe Diffie on Highways & Heartaches. The title speaks of all the good and bad that Hayes has been through since his first album in 1994. Since then, he really stuck out in the industry, hitting number one with the hit "Old Enough to Know Better" and ending up one of 1997's "Male Stars of Tomorrow" at the TNN/ Music City News Country Awards.

"Goodbye is the Wrong Way to Go" continues in the trend of his hit making ability, capitalizing on a Brooks and Dunn styled ballad sound. Actually, Hayes teams up with one half of the duo, Ronnie Dunn, for some production work. "Ronnie was able to find some really excellent songs, and he was terrific helping with the overall feel of the recording," says Hayes. "He understands spontaneity--and that's what we went for."

Such improvised jams make up the faster tracks "Up North (Down South, Back East, Out West)" and "What's It Gonna Take," the latter bearing the most catchy chorus line since Tim McGraw's "I like it, I love it, I want some more of it." In addition, "That's What Honky Tonks Are For" keeps things loud, following in the pattern of Brooks and Dunn's "Honky Tonk Truth." Hayes' tune may just join the other as a country line dancing favorite and an all time country music bar classic.

Hayes closes with the mellow "I'm Lonesome Too," sporting a traditional country sound with the typical breakup motif. Such a high quality batch of songs is destined to make Hayes' latest sampling a standard in the country market and a standout amongst all of the genre's releases thus far this year.

2.5 tocks