Music review: Aaron Lewis’ ‘Sinner’ another helping of country
I fondly remember growing up listening to country music legends like George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Pasty Cline, Buck Owens, Hank Williams and Conway Twitty.
Each time I would visit my grandmother, she would have the local country radio station serenading us with songs that came directly from the heart.
While country music has drastically changed over the years with a new breed of younger artists bringing a feel-good flavoring to the anthems of life, love and partying, some artists aren鈥檛 completely on board.
Aaron Lewis, lead singer for the rock band Staind, releases his second full-length country effort with 鈥淪inner.鈥�
Lewis has come a long way from Staind鈥檚 metal musings delivered on albums such as 鈥淒ysfunction鈥� and 鈥淏reak the Cycle.鈥� Lewis follows 2012鈥檚 鈥淭he Road鈥� for another seamless transition into offering up a hearty helping of traditional country.
With the track 鈥淭hat Ain鈥檛 Country,鈥� Lewis lets fans know early on where he stands on the bro-country that is currently dominating country radio by passionately singing, 鈥淐ause that ain鈥檛 country/That鈥檚 a natural fact/It鈥檚 full of tales of good times and happy endings/My life ain鈥檛 like that/So I鈥檒l keep listening to the old songs that my grandad used to play/Full of pain and heartache and desperation and the ones that got away/The ones that speak to me, the way I feel today.鈥� The inspired number includes respectful references to listening to the old songs from country giants such as Merle Haggard, Charlie Daniels, Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams Jr. and David Allan Coe.
On the title track, Lewis is joined by Willie Nelson singing about seeking redemption and asking for forgiveness through the continuous struggle of wrestling with personal demons.
Heartache prevails on the tracks 鈥淟ost and Lonely鈥� and 鈥淚 Lost It All,鈥� while 鈥淪unday Every Saturday Night鈥� provides a rousing anthem for washing away the problems of the day.
Also featured on the album is an earthy version of Chris Stapleton鈥檚 鈥淲hiskey and You鈥� and a duet with Lewis鈥� daughter on a stirring cover of 鈥淭ravelin鈥� Soldier,鈥� previously recorded by the Dixie Chicks.
The album was produced by Buddy Cannon (George Strait, Merle Haggard, George Jones) and recorded at Nashville鈥檚 Blackbird Studios.
With 鈥淪inner,鈥� it appears Lewis has found a home by performing his own style of outlaw country.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.