CD Review: Alright Guy - Gary Allan
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with his "sweet tooth" for the shadier side of living, he always ends up doing what is horribly wrong. Once he had a perfect relationship with an angel, but broke it off after he had the chance to date a bad girl.
Along to the slow tempo "What I'd Say," he is rehearsing what he would say to the woman that broke his heart should they meet again. The guy is also struggling with two different kinds of emotions toward her - anger and then also niceness. "I love you and I hate you, all at the same time. Then I pray you'll come back to me before I lose my mind."
When I first heard "Man of Me," I absolutely went crazy because it is just so awesome. The song has Gary's unique sound to it and the music makes me want get up and boogie. I knew that if all songs were as great as this one, I would have to buy the whole album and I was overly excited when I found out I would have the chance to review it for everyone. Jim Lauderdale (who plays George Jones in the new musical about Tammy Wynette's life) and Leslie Satcher (a Texas singer/songwriter) wrote the next tune with a steady beat, "What's On My Mind." From what I have heard before from Jim Lauderdale, I can really hear his influence throughout. The lady wants to know what is going on inside the guy's mind but he "doesn't mean to drive [her] crazy, comin' off all vague and hazy just because [he] don't have an answer for [her]," and he does not think she could handle what he is thinking. I just love it when Gary sings a song mostly in a lower pitch because it sounds like it would make all the girls in an audience feel tingly listening to him. "Alright Guy" was written by Todd Snider and has been performed around the Texas circuit by different "local" artists and is a song that you would really, honestly, have to listen to for yourself to understand. There is a regular and an edited version (the edited version was on a separate disc and is not included with the regular album); which I would imagine being for if the occasion ever arises where he maybe wanted to release the song in the future and there are some parts that would not go well on the radio (like "Ain't like I'm foolin' with my intern while I'm talkin' on the phone"). What a surprise to hear "What Would Willie Do," when I only reviewed Bruce Robison's (the writer of the song) version a few weeks ago for "Country Sunshine." Bruce's was more on the humorous side while Gary's really makes you think he is a devoted follower of Willie Nelson and wants to be just like his idol. There is a nice continuation of his special "California" flavored country style that has been found on all of his previous albums, but especially on the last album, "Smoke Rings in the Dark." Gary has managed to keep that continuation going and still evolve with all material. I think that "Alright Guy" will take him to a newer, better level that will catapult him even higher into the stratosphere than he already is. Song List:
Audio Clips courtesy of Barnes & Noble.
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