| Our Bed of Roses - Wade Vincent Root | |
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Reviewed by Kathy Coleman
Wade Vincent Root proves that it's still actually possible to court a crossover audience
and give out a sweet, adult contemporary tune that remains true to a classic country feel. His delivery, rich and smooth as velvet, recalls the days of Jim Reeves and Eddy Arnold. His tone is reminiscent of Vince Gill.
His approach works well. Root's voice compliments the songs he has chosen, from the
purely new country sound of the opening track, "She Don't Know What It's Like" to the
mournful sound of "Our Bed of Roses," all the way to the smokey tones of the early 90's classic "Somewhere Under the Rainbow," Root uses his expressive voice to put his personal stamp on each song. He admits freely that he is not a songwriter, and prefers to "leave it to the pros." While it's fashionable now to be a singer/songwriter, Root doesn't worry about it, delighted to give his own interpretation to the song. It works well for him.
His style is indeed smooth, but he can kick it up a little, and shows it on upbeat numbers like "Mama's Long Leggin'" and "You Mean the World To Me." His resemblance to Vince Gill (vocally, at any rate) shows strongly on the Hank Cochran/Dean Dillon composition, "Little Bits and Pieces," a melody dripping with sorrow in purest country style.
Wade Vincent Root's Our Bed Of Roses is a fine listen, a modern slice of "Golden
Age" Nashville, a sound of adult contemporary country that's rare and precious in these pop-
drenched days.
Song List:
Album cover, used with permission of Wade Vincent Root's official website.