Dierks Bentley - 'Feel That Fire'

Feel That Fire Bottom Line:

This is a fantastic new album from Dierks Bentley. That cannot be stressed enough. From rocking songs like "Little Heartwrecker" to more singer/songwriter type songs like "Pray," there is something for everyone to enjoy as you are taken on quite a ride across the collection of twelve tracks.

About Dierks Bentley:

There's no question Dierks Bentley is a mainstream country music artist. But what has set him apart in the past and continues right along with his latest release is the fact he's not afraid to look past collaborating with people who might not necessarily be considered the most popular or well-known to a majority of the national country markets. There's also a heavy Texas connection with Dierks not only with Rodney Crowell and Patty Griffin being involved in the current album, but in the past opening shows for Jason Boland and Dierks being great friends with group members from Cross Canadian Ragweed (especially lead singer Cody Canada, who even named his son Dierks).

You can't help but think those friendships help give Dierks that something extra or different influence into his material. Or maybe it's wishful thinking on my part. Either way, there's no doubt that Dierks has spent the past two years writing, recording, and road-testing these songs so that he would have the greatest collection of material he could at this point in time. His hard work and effort haven't gone by the wayside. He's managed to uniquely blend country music with some rock sensibilities and use traditional instruments in new and innovative ways. Impressive.

Feel That Fire About The Songs:

If there ever was a song to give a listener incentive to stick around for what's on the remainder of the album it's "Life On The Run." The car speeding sound at the start might take some getting used to, but it does make you feel like you're in for the ride of your life for the next few minutes.

It tells a story about a man who is wanted for a crime he didn't commit so he's living life minute by minute without caring what kind of trail he leaves behind. This is one of the songs I have sometimes had to listen to back-to-back. There are many good picks for future singles on Feel That Fire and this is one of them.

"Sideways" has a common thread linking each of Dierks' major-label releases together - the mention of blue jeans and a white tank top. Any Dierks fan whose been around a while knows what I'm talking about with that fact. And to those new to Dierks Bentley's music, this is a reference to the girl in his first single, "What Was I Thinking." This song is a fun one, dealing with a man who has finished with work for the week and wants to go out and "get a little sideways." He sees a woman who piques his interest, so he tries for a conversation, then ends up begging the DJ not to play anything slow so the ladies will remain on the dancefloor.

There is a Spanish sound to "I Can't Forget Her," which doesn't always come across as sounding good depending on the artist. But with Dierks it's perfectly alright. When he sings: "She goes running through my mind like that Rio Grande River winds through the desert," the background music sounds just like what you would expect from a lonely, dusty night in Del Rio. When the man talks about how she'll always be in his mind - you believe him.

When I first heard "Feel That Fire" I knew waiting for the new album would be downright difficult. It marks the start of a newer sound for Dierks. A sound that is steeped in the style of his previous works, yet takes things to an even higher level. There's a new fire not only in the lyrics of this song, but the music as well. It's heavier, edgier and fits right in with the rest of the album. That's what you want in a first single.

While "Feel That Fire" has that edge to it, "I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes" is so sensual without being perverted. Meaning, that it captures the beauty and tenderness of loving one another instead of giving the impression that it means nothing to either person. Two ways of paying tribute to the lady in his life.

Patty Griffin joins Dierks for the song "Beautiful World." The whole premise of the song is that many people are so set in their ways of focusing only on the bad things going on in the world that they end up missing all the good that's also being done. Focus the majority of your energy on the positive and say a prayer for the cessation of the negatives. An excellent touch is the soft, yet prominent sounds of the banjo during the breaks in vocals.

In "Better Believer," the man talks about how it's so easy for him to forget to give thanks for everything good in his life, that he often thinks it should have been given to another man. That there was some type of mistake and he was the benefactor. Along the same lines (of love, hope, and faith) is "Pray," co-written by Dierks and Rodney Crowell. It is one of the album's stand-out tracks and proves that even though Dierks is "mainstream country," he's not afraid to dive deeper in the people he works with.

As is tradition for Dierks' albums, there is a bluegrass track ("Last Call" - with Ronnie McCoury instead of Del McCoury this time), continuing my need to beg and plead for Dierks to record a bluegrass-themed album in the future. I'm thinking along the lines of a Dierks Bentley / Del and Ronnie McCoury collaboration ala Jim Lauderdale and Ralph Stanley. That would be exciting for a lot of people, just like this new release will no doubt excite Dierks' fans.

Release date: February 3, 2009 - Capitol Nashville

Feel That Fire Track List:

1. Life Of The Run
2. Sideways
3. Feel That Fire
4. I Wanna Make You Close Your Eyes
5. Here She Comes
6. I Can't Forget Her
7. Beautiful World (Featuring Patty Griffin)
8. Little Heartwrecker
9. You Hold Me Together
10. Better Believer
11. Pray
12. Last Call (With Ronnie McCoury and Friends)