Music review: Alan Jackson – ‘Angels and Alcohol’
After recently traveling to New York City to see the Foo Fighters perform at Citi Field, I received an added surprise by discovering Alan Jackson was also in town appearing on NBC鈥檚 鈥淭oday鈥� at Rockefeller Center as part of the show鈥檚 summer concert series. Just like Donny and Marie, I could firmly declare that I was a little bit country and a little bit rock 鈥榥鈥� roll for the week.
Celebrating 25 years since his impressive debut release, the Georgia-born Jackson sticks with his tried and true formula of making heartfelt arrangements about life, love, heartache and the desire to live life to the fullest.
With over 60 million albums sold worldwide, the 56-year-old singer delivers 10 simple tracks cut from the traditional country mold as opposed to much of today鈥檚 sugary and sweet country offerings.
After delivering a bluegrass album followed by an inspired gospel-flavored release in 2013, Jackson returns to his true country roots as witnessed on earlier standouts like 鈥淐hattahoochee,鈥� 鈥淲anted,鈥� 鈥淒allas鈥� and 鈥淢idnight in Montgomery.鈥�
The title track details how alcohol drove away the love of a good woman, resulting in only faded memories and the bottle left to pass the time away at the local watering hole.
鈥淚 leave a light on for your memory,鈥� sings Jackson on 鈥淚 Leave a Light On鈥� as the heartache theme continues. Things get a little lighter on 鈥淛im and Jack and Hank,鈥� as Jackson announces that all he needs since his love has packed up and moved on is Jim (Beam), Jack (Daniels) and Hank (Williams).
鈥淲hen God Paints鈥� displays Jackson鈥檚 spiritual side on this humble tune about faith and the glorious wonders uncovered every day.
鈥淢exico, Tequila and Me鈥� closes the album on a high note, reminiscent of the huge hit 鈥淚t鈥檚 Five O鈥機lock Somewhere.鈥�
Jackson might be one of country music鈥檚 elder statesmen, but his message is just as fresh and welcoming as it was when I first saw him perform in Pittsburgh over 20 years ago.
鈥淎ngels and Alcohol鈥� continues Jackson鈥檚 mastery of crafting songs that speak straight to the heart.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer.
He can be reached at crhodes@heraldstandard.com.