Dierks Bentley - Dierks Bentley

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Reviewed by Jennifer Webb

Dierks Bentley is already making a major name for himself with his debut single, which is creeping its way toward the top five on the Billboard charts and with his debut self-titled album I cannot wait to see where he ends up because he has what it takes to make it very far in his country music career. All tracks were co-written by the artist himself, with the exception of just one (the rowdy "I Bought The Shoes") and not only can this guy sing but his songs are all superb.

For anyone who has already heard of Dierks Bentley, you are probably already familiar with his stellar first single entitled "What Was I Thinkin'." The song, written by Dierks along with Brett Beavers and Deric Ruttan, is about a love-struck man who braves the girl's father, old boyfriends, and barroom brawls, only later to retrace his steps because he does not remember a thing. When everything comes back to him he says that he knows what he was feeling, but what was he thinking?

The subject of heartache is covered in "Wish It Would Break," where Dierks puts his feeling right out there on the table. Pictures hanging on the wall will come down when he is ready and since every song on his haunted truck radio remind him of his former girlfriend he wonders just how many times it can take the punching of the buttons. "This old heart of mine's got mind of its own and it's decided not to let you go" is a crucial line from the song before just wishing his heart would just go ahead and break so he could finally learn to move on with his life.

When he does learn to move on, he sings a new song in "Forget About You," which is a pretty self-explanatory title. Instead of being slow-paced and sad, the tempo picks up quite a bit as the man states that he finally does not have a care in the world. Though he lost some weight and hair throughout the years, and he also spends many nights drinking beer he will forget about the girl even if it makes him lose his mind in the process.

Harley Allen co-wrote the touching tune, "My Last Name," along with Dierks and it is a sweet one to listen to. A little boy, presumably Dierks when he was a kid, was learning to write his name in school and a mean bully made fun of it so to defend the name he hit him and then simply said "It's my name." After that we hear different situations and history of the name and a wonderful line from the song is "May never make it famous but I'll never bring it shame." At the very end of the song, the man finds a woman that he wants to share something sacred to him - his last name because he wants to spend his life with her.

Destined to be a honky tonk and fan favorite is the song "Bartenders, etc..." where barstools, bartenders, and barmaids are praised among jukeboxes and pockets full of change because they are "just a few of [his] favorite things." He can forget about his heartbreak and other troubles while drowning himself in the smoke and tunes while "drinking his shots of make believe."

Just when you think "How Am I Doin'" will be a slow song about being sad and depressed the tempo picks up and turns into a fun to listen to tune about how a guy has been crying tears of joy since she left him. He has been losing sleep but it is because he has been out on the town having a blast and that includes dancing with another girl to the music that used to be the couple's special song.

At the end of the album, be sure to listen to the beautiful song that features the Del McCoury band - "Train Travelin'." The bluegrass musicianship along with Dierks voice really blends well and makes me wonder just what a bluegrass album would sound like if it featured him. Thirteen tracks just does not seem like it is enough from this great up and coming artist. I am already looking forward to more from this future star of country music.

Song List:

1. What Was I Thinkin'
2. Wish It Would Break
3. Forget About You
4. I Can Only Think of One
5. My Last Name
6. Bartenders, etc...
7. Is Anybody Loving You These Days
8. My Love Will Follow You
9. How Am I Doin'
10. Distant Shore
11. I Bought the Shoes
12. Whiskey Tears
13. Train Travelin' (with the Del McCoury Band)