Music review: Jon Pardi 鈥楬eartache Medication鈥�
鈥淗eartache Medication鈥� is Jon Pardi鈥檚 much-anticipated new album that follows the success of 2016鈥檚 鈥淐alifornia Sunrise.鈥�
For his third release, the California native delivers a contemporary take on traditional country music with compelling tracks addressing relationships, friends, drinking and living the cowboy lifestyle in today鈥檚 culture.
鈥淥ld Hat鈥� opens the album by reflecting on the lost art of acting gentlemanly as Pardi expresses his concern over the fact that being old fashioned has become so out of fashion. Rest assured, there are still plenty of men around who haven鈥檛 forgotten how to be a stand-up guy as Pardi sings, 鈥淲e ain鈥檛 afraid to work in the hot sun/We can finish a fight, but won鈥檛 start one/We don鈥檛 ever forget where we came from.鈥�
鈥淐all Me Country鈥� finds Pardi fondly remembering the country legends like Willie, Waylon, Merle, Paycheck, Cash and Hank that helped to shape his career as he proclaims his love for singing about freight trains, prisons, heartaches, honky-tonks, cowboys and outlaws and good-hearted women.
Like the title track, a heavy helping of drinking-themed arrangements help to fuel the new material. Whether it鈥檚 to erase the pain of a broken heart or to fuel the fun of a good time going down at the corner bar, there are plenty of drinks to go around until the early hours of the morning.
Alcohol is the scapegoat for a deteriorating relationship on 鈥淒on鈥檛 Blame It on Whiskey.鈥� Lauren Alaina lends her heartfelt vocals to this fragile tale about picking up the pieces when everything falls apart right before your eyes.
Pardi cuts it loose on 鈥淭ied One On鈥� when describing the events that occur after getting the nerve to finally walk away from a problematic relationship. 鈥淎 lotta high-fives and a lotta beer went down,鈥� declares Pardi on this rousing number that raises the roof with its celebratory tone.
鈥淛ust Like Old Times鈥� manages to capture the overall theme of the 14-track set with a nostalgic nod to familiar times when life was good and love flourished as two ex-lovers meet and rekindle a previous romance. 鈥淟et鈥檚 see where it goes,鈥� announces Pardi in hopes of starting something new from the past.
It is this critic鈥檚 opinion that 鈥淗eartache Medication鈥� will give Justin Moore鈥檚 鈥淟ate Nights and Longnecks鈥� a strong run for country album of the year.
Clint Rhodes is the 缅北禁地 music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.