| A Dyin' Breed - Royal Wade Kimes | |
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Reviewed by Kathy Coleman
For the most part, the disc A Dyin' Breed by Royal Wade Kimes believes that, and this is apparent with every emotional note the man sings. This disc is packed with fine, strong cowboy music; many of them lovely tributes to the disappearing American West from the heart of someone who truly loves and respects his deep Western roots. But in all the promotional material given out for this disc, all that was being celebrated was the cameo appearance of Garth Brooks in the duet, "Night Birds."
I realize that a little celebrity clout is a fine thing for selling albums, but "Night Birds" is hardly the finest track on the disc, and Kimes himself is shortchanged by putting so much of the spotlight on his special guest star. In country music, it has always been the MUSIC that matters,
not who sings it; but this has been made untrue by the last decade of superstar hotshots who hog the spotlight, with their weakest efforts being crammed down the public's throat like so much candy. It's an insult to a simple musician who is offering plain, straightforward real country music. Kimes is a good singer, and his songs (all of which bear his stamp as writer or co-writer), are wonderful. I would have preferred to see more on Kimes himself and less hoopla about his celebrity guest.
The offerings here on A Dyin' Breed are slickly produced, clear and clean-lined, simple songs done in a strong, professional style. Kimes has been recording for a while, and his expertise at both performing and producing show clearly on this disc. There's plenty to like here, songs about cowboys and the rodeos, the girl left behind and the girls in the dance halls, as well as a good ol' prison song, "Ball and Chain."
But the best tracks (at least, my favorites) seem to be the ones that close the disc, with heart-stirring cowboy tunes such as "Good Guys," and "Where Have All The Cowboys Gone," delightful tributes to the TV and movie cowboys who are long gone and sadly missed; after all, how many of us remember Saturday nights with Marshall Dillon down in Dodge? Coming up right before these is "Gun Slinger," a chilling song of an "old" gun fighter, who's reached the surprising age of 35. (As an aside, there's a typo in the lyric sheet here; "dyin'" should be spelled with a "y," not "diein'" just like the title of the disc.)
Kimes' personal tributes and thanks are heartfelt, just as his music is. The hidden final track is a touching patriotic tune, so downscaled and emotional it's fairly plain the song is simple feeling, and not another singer jumping on the flag-waving wagon; a man who didn't have to get
his flag out of mothballs to fly it after September 11.
It's good to see cowboy singers getting a little press, however they get it. But I hope that more attention is focused on Royal Wade Kimes with his next release. Because he's worth a little hoopla, just for himself.
Song List:
Album cover, used with permission of Wonderment Records.
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