Music review: Shooter Jennings – 鈥楽hooter鈥�
When you are the son of country music icons Waylon Jennings and Jessi Colter, expectations are high concerning your musical talent. Fortunately for Shooter Jennings, the apple doesn鈥檛 fall from the tree.
When I was much younger and times were less complicated, Donny and Marie Osmond used to sing 鈥淎 Little Bit Country, A Little Bit Rock 鈥楴鈥� Roll鈥� on their television variety show every week.
That catchy little number can be used to describe Jennings鈥� musical leanings.
The Nashville native blends the truthfulness of country with the rowdy defiance of rock to create a swagger that appeals to a wide fan base.
The 39-year-old鈥檚 eighth studio album follows 2016鈥檚 鈥淐ountach,鈥� a synth-heavy tribute to Italian composer Giorgio Moroder. Simply titled 鈥淪hooter,鈥� Jennings鈥� latest offering is a triumphant return to his country and rock roots.
鈥淏ound ta Git Down鈥� is a blistering country-rock party anthem that opens the festivities with a high-energy vibe reminiscent of Charlie Daniels鈥� 鈥淭he South鈥檚 Gonna Do It Again鈥� with Jennings singing, 鈥淲ell I was born in Tennessee but it couldn鈥檛 hold me.鈥�
鈥淒o You Love Texas?鈥� is a love letter about everything that makes the Lone Star State great and serves as a spirited singalong that is sure to get a crowd in the proper mood to bust loose when Jennings declares, 鈥淲ell the beer just tastes better down in Texas, don鈥檛 you know/And them ol鈥� cowboy singers always steal the show.鈥�
Jennings once again displays his keen writing skills by writing or co-writing all nine of the new songs.
On tracks such as 鈥淟iving in a Minor Key,鈥� 鈥淔ast Horses & Good Hideouts鈥� and 鈥淩hinestone Eyes,鈥� Jennings delivers old-school country tracks that would be a perfect fit for country stalwarts like David Allan Coe, Merle Haggard and George Jones.
鈥淒enim & Diamonds鈥� is a melodic slow burner that closes out the album. As I listen to this number with my eyes closed, I couldn鈥檛 help but picture Elton John penning and performing this captivating arrangement early in his career for 鈥淭umbleweed Connection鈥� or 鈥淗onky Chateau.鈥�
Loaded with plenty of gusto and honest emotion, 鈥淪hooter鈥� places Jennings back on track and at his entertaining best.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.