Shooter Jennings - Electric Rodeo

Shooter Jennings doesn't need to remind people he's Waylon's son. He's good enough on his own to simply sing and play. Although at least one song makes a play on his father's legacy ala Hank Jr., it isn't necessary, really. Shooter has his own sound, and reminding people who he is tends to take away from the fact he really is a great Americana artist who manages to only sound like someone who was influenced by Waylon. It's enough.

Shooter Jennings beat his path to country music by way of rock-n-roll, taking some of his legendary father's style and tweaking it with some of his own ideas and a dash or two of a Skynyrd flavor and has managed to come out as one hell of a great young Americana artist who manages to sound nothing LIKE his father but like himself, just heavily influenced by Waylon, which is one heck of a great trick.

With the songs on "Electric Rodeo," Shooter demonstrates the ability to shine at classic country blues, Cajun sounds, and he has a wicked sense of humor, with tongue-in-cheek songs like "Aviators" and pointedly sardonic tunes like "Little White Lines." He touches the heart with "Gone to Carolina," and rocks hard with "Electric Rodeo," as well as "Bad Magick."

If there's a weak track on this disc, it's "(The) Living Proof," and it's not that the song itself is bad - it's just that I don't think Shooter is really overshadowed by his father. No, he's not "as good" as Waylon (as the lyrics comment) - but Waylon Jennings is a legend; very few can live up to that. Unlike Hank Jr., Shooter's father did not die very tragically young - Waylon died before his time, but not at 29 - Shooter grew up knowing his father, able to sing and play with, and learn from, him. Waylon's shadow is huge, but Shooter stands just fine on his own and doesn't need to remind people he has a famous father. Not "as good," but different, and damned good enough. He has the stuff to make his own legend.