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Todd Fritsch - Sawdust

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From Shelly Fabian, About.com Guide

Todd Fritsch - Sawdust

Todd Fritsch - Sawdust

Diamond Music Group
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Bottom Line:

If you want a traditional country music album through-and-through, then Sawdust is an album you need to buy. It was produced by Doug Deforest and includes duets with Eddy Raven and Gary P. Nunn.

Todd Fritsch has really outdone himself on Sawdust and I can't get over how good this album is. Often times when you have an album with seventeen tracks things might seem to "drag on" but here that's not the case. There's enough variety throughout and time seems to fly by while you listen.

In "What's Wrong With Me," Todd sings about how he can't get his life back on track since he lost the best part of himself. He does what he can to try to make himself feel better, but nothing works. "I'm such a mess without you here with me. My heart's locked up and baby you're the key" are my favorite lines of the song. In "No Part Of," you will quickly realize the man in this song isn't even related to the man in the first one. If being in love means lying, cheating, and feeling lonely then he would rather pass on it next time around. This is a great tune for radio airplay.

The only thing that really matters in the man's life anymore is the woman he loves in "All That's Left Is You." He's not focused on cloudy days and gray skies because she's mended his broken heart. Love is part of life's circle, but a grandfather's other influences are also expressed on "Life's A Circle." He taught his grandson valuable lessons that made him the man he is today. You shouldn't be afraid to work hard, always keep your loved ones in your heart, and a life is a circle that doesn't have an end. The lyrics will touch you and the mandolin adds even more depth to the touching story song.

"Five Mornings Down" has a great Bob Wills / Asleep at the Wheel sound that I love. It's upbeat and fun as can be. The man is counting down the days until he can see and hold the woman he dreams about every night. "Honky Tonk Talk" is another fun song but if you try to sing along to the chorus you might get a little tongue-tied with lyrics like "In a Honky Tonk talking Honky Tonk talk. Hoping what we're saying won't make her turn and walk." Todd Fritsch and Doug Deforest wrote the rowdy song "If You Don't Like Country (Time To Leave)." "I'm a hundred percent country and I plan to stay that way," sings Todd. If you go to one of his concerts expecting anything crossover-worthy then you better get out before you are disappointed. The traditional "Little Joe The Wrangler" is a very fitting last song on the album considering that Todd Fritsch is a real cowboy.

What I like about this album is the fact that there are all sorts of "sounds" within the seventeen tracks. You can take your pick from Texas Swing to a slower pace or you can do like I do and listen to the whole thing all the way through. Either way you're going to enjoy Sawdust.

Track List:

  1. What's Wrong with Me
  2. The Rock
  3. No Part Of
  4. All That's Left Is You
  5. So This Is Love
  6. Guilty Conscience
  7. If You Don't Like Country (Time to Leave)
  8. Life's a Circle
  9. Texas Talkin'
  10. Five Mornings Down
  11. Honky Tonk Talk
  12. Tequila Tells
  13. Tables
  14. Walk to Remember
  15. Every Honky Tonkin' Hero (Has His Day)
  16. First Date (For the Last Time)
  17. Little Joe the Wrangler
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