| Always Take Me Back - John Cowan | |
|
Reviewed by Matt Bjorke
While you may not really know the name, you probably heard the voice of John Cowan. As the lead vocalist for the New Grass Revival, John Cowan was instrumental in the band's bridging the Bluegrass, Rock, and Country genres all into an incredible mix. John has also appeared on CDs by the likes of Garth Brooks and Hal Ketchum while also fronting the defunct country band the Sky Kings.
Always Take Me Back is John Cowan's second CD for Sugar Hill Records. What made his last record successful were John's continued aspirations to blur the musical boundaries like he did with New Grass Revival. With the release of this CD, John has continued his quest to merge genres.
"They Always Take Me Back" is a wonderful song that is about parents love for their child. With that theme and the contemporary sounds of the banjo, bass, guitar and drums, this song could very well be played on Country radio if it was given a chance.
"Sittin' On Top Of The World" is an uptempo take on the public domain hymn. Those looking for traditional bluegrass will not probably like the funky bass line that John plays but will love the mile a minute banjo playing.
"18 Years" is one of the songs on this CD that showcases John's strong voice better than the other tracks. Sounding like a countrified Jon Bon Jovi, John Cowan is singing about a young man who cannot wait to get out of a bad home after living through "18 years." While the backing music is decidedly contemporary, there is still a heavy dose of banjo and acoustic guitar present.
With its mile-a-minute verse and chorus, you will be left without a doubt that "Two Quarts Low" is a pure bluegrass song. The song's lyrics are about a guy and his truck that is constantly leaking something. This song is a fun song that, if released, could be a hit. It is also not a far stretch to picture another country artist covering the song.
"Call Me" is probably the most likely song to be released, and accepted, by Country radio. The lyrics are about a guy who really wishes his last girlfriend would just call him to help him get over his heartache. The instrumentation is slow and really accents the bluesy lyrics.
While Always Take Me Back may not be a Bluegrass CD per se, it is nonetheless steeped in the tradition of Bluegrass with 21st Century spin.
Song List:
Album cover, used with permission of Sugar Hill.
Click on the button below to find the best price for this CD and purchase it from a retailer on the Internet.
