With a sound steeped in traditional country and honky-tonk, Dale Watson sounds like something from another era. Throughout his career, Watson hasn't strayed far from this path, and El Rancho Azul is no exception. Best guess is that title is the name of his local drinking hole -- the kind of dark, stale-beer-smelling honky-tonk bar customers regularly lose themselves in. What else explains songs such as "I Lie When I Drink," "I Drink to Remember" and "Drink Drink Drink," as well as dancing gems like "Quick, Quick, Slow, Slow," "Slow, Quick, Quick," and "Cowboy Boots"?
Although two founding members have departed since their last release, The SteelDrivers haven't skipped a beat. Hammer Down is melancholic in its subject matter but upbeat in its delivery, making for an electrifying dichotomy. "Cry No Mississippi" is a glorious "f-you" to getting dumped ("A tear or two might fall into my whiskey/ But I won't cry no Mississippi"), co-written by the Civil Wars' John Paul White, who also had a hand in "I'll Be There." Other highlights include soulful murder ballad "Shallow Grave," upbeat two-stepper "Wearin' a Hole" and the biting "How Long Have I Been Your Fool."
After a number of dark, brooding releases, Gary Allan lightens up a touch on Set You Free. The crisp, driving rhythms on opener "Tough Goodbye" give the rootsy rocker an animated, almost new wave-ish feel. Although the song is about a difficult break-up, it feels lighthearted and buoyant -- until the last line, anyway. "Bones" is a menacing rocker about an unfaithful partner; it rocks as hard as any Jason Aldean song and burns as hot as anything by Miranda Lambert. "You Without Me" and "One More Time" sound like vintage Gary Allan; both are sad, introspective tales of lost loves.
Randy Houser hit a home run with his debut single "Boots On" back in 2008, but follow-up success had been elusive until the release of "How Country Feels." The song, built around a riff reminiscent of AC/DC's "Back in Black," is Houser's re-entry into the upper reaches of the charts and marks a highlight here. How County Feels is a polished collection whose other gems include feel-good "Growin' Younger" and frivolous charmer "Absolutely Nothing." But Houser's soulful voice shines brightest on the straight and sincere songs, like "The Singer," "Power of a Song" and "Route 3 Box 250 D."
On The Highway, Holly Williams' warm, hushed voice still sounds beautiful and her lyrics still hit painfully close to home. But there's something about this introspective collection that resonates stronger than anything she's done before. "Waiting On June" is a stunning tale that lovingly chronicles a journey of true love. Its stripped-down production creates a song so powerful, the fact that Gwyneth Paltrow sings on it is merely a small footnote. Other highlights include "Gone Away From Me" (featuring Jackson Browne), "Railroads," "'Til It Runs Dry" (with Dierks Bentley) and "Without You."
Rose Falcon's whispery vocals wrap themselves around her arrangements like fresh-spun cotton candy -- light and fluffy and really sticky once you dive in. Her five-song EP shows a knack for coming up with stream-of-consciousness-type lyrics, which lend themselves perfectly to poignant offerings such as "Carry Me Home," "Like Crazy" and "If Love Had a Heart," which, with its chiming guitars, easy hook and clever lyrics, is a sure-fire winner.
Fans of singer Kelly Willis and songsmith Bruce Robison have been wishing for this matchup for years. With seven original songs and six finely tuned covers, the album is worth the wait. Sonically, the pair complement each other perfectly -- his rough, linear vocals are the yin to her sweet, lilting yang -- while giving each other room to play. Robison sets the bar high with engaging originals like the tear-in-my-beer beauty "Cheater's Game" and the crisp, wistful "Dreamin'," and covers from Don Williams ("We're All the Way"), The Blasters ("Border Radio") and Hayes Carll ("Long Way Home").
Not many people can reinvent themselves as successfully as Kenny Loggins did when he went from a successful duo to a solo performer. He's testing the odds once again with Blue Sky Riders, a trio featuring Loggins, Nashville song doctor Gary Burr and singer Georgia Middleman. Together, the three modernize the airy "yacht rock" that Loggins is synonymous with, hitting the sweet spot between Lady Antebellum and Kenny Chesney's beach-y sound in the process. Highlights include "Just Say Yes," "Another Spring," "I Get It" and "As Luck Would Have It."
Wherein two of Nashville's most beloved outsiders, walking country/folk/bluegrass encyclopedias both, get together for a lithe, spirited, delightfully laid-back jam session, drolly singing songs of angst ("I Lost My Job of Loving You"), devotion ("That's Not Even Why I Love You"), pain ("It Hurts Me") and lust ("I Want to Do Everything for You," which is not about, like, chores). You can take the buoyant "South in New Orleans" literally as a song title; not so "The Wobble," thank goodness. (Sorry, Skrillex.) Best in show is "Vampire Girl," coming soon to a wicked True Blood montage near you.
In his native Australia, singer Roger Knox is known as the "Black Elvis," so who better to introduce Aboriginal country music to America? Stranger in My Land is a collection of songs written by Aborigine artists. Tales are told with a strong political and moral bent. In some cases ("Stranger in My Country," "Took the Children Away"), the messages are too unwieldy for the music, but when the two mesh, it's magic, like on the yodeling beauty "Blue Gums Calling Me Back Home," the twanging "Ticket to Nowhere," the pining "Streets of Tamworth" and the drinking companion "Scobie's Dream."
