I'm Doin' My Best - Gary Allan, Rutherford, Rivers
I Don't Look Back - Gary Allan, Allan, Gary
What Would Willie Do - Gary Allan, Robinson, Bruce [1]
Allan's fourth album originally released in 2001 honors traditional honky tonk and American music without dripping into sentimentality. Includes the bonus track 'Runaway'. Universal.
Allan's fourth album originally released in 2001 honors traditional honky tonk and American music without dripping into sentimentality. Includes the bonus track 'Runaway'. Universal.
Christine P. (pncped) from LOWELL, MA Reviewed on 8/27/2006...
This is a great album, Gary Allan rocks!!!!!
CD Reviews
More Than Alright
Jake Z | Canada | 03/12/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a great album from Gary Allan. His fourth album shows the honky tonker showcasing more bawdy tunes than he has on his previous albums. The big hit from the album was the #1 hit "Man To Man", which was the third single from the album. Other released singles include the honky tonk driven "Man Of Me" and the ballad "The One". The title track was meant to be the fourth single, which would have been a controversial release, but instead they pushed for a the first single from his SEE IF I CARE album."The Devil's Candy" is one of my favorites, a great uptempo tune with a great chorus. His version of "What I'd Say" is well done, very haunting. "I'm Doing My Best", "I Don't Look Back" and "What's On My Mind" are other good uptempo country tunes. He does country as traditional as it can get, and his voice works well with the material. All this and more makes for a great release from Mr. Allan. Check this one out for sure!"
Strong set
J. M. Zuurbier | Canada | 12/12/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This was Gary Allan's follow up to the critically acclaimed album SMOKE RINGS IN THE DARK. ALRIGHT GUY was a pretty successful album, though it remains to be seen why he is still not a leading male in country music. Allan represents what real country music is. He doesn't fluff it up with over emotion or anything else - just real country full of drinking, cheating, and more. This set showcases his vocals, even better than on past albums. The material is pretty bawdy, but good. "Man To Man" became a #1 hit, and the album also churned out hit singles like "The One", and "Man of Me". The title track was going to be a single, but was shelved when his new album was nearing completion. It would have been interesting to see country radio's reaction to the song, which includes pot smoking, drinking, unlawful behavior, and other taboos. "The Devil's Candy" is one of my favorites, it has single potential and would have been a hit I bet. He shows his softer side on ballads like "The One", "Adobe Walls", and "What I'd Say". The album closer "What Would Willie Do" is a great song to end the album with. Overall, a strong collection of songs."
So Alright!
Jennifer T Grogan | Jersey City, NJ USA | 11/01/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"All of Gary's previous disc's have a permanant place in my CD player and this one is going in right next to them! It is different from Smoke Rings in the Dark (also excellent) but no less listenable and, frankly, cool! There is nothing understated about these songs. They put an emotion out there and then never back off. "What I'd Say" for example is about heartbreak, country-style. It plays on the fact that love and hate really are two sides of the same coin and there is not an ounce of sap here! "Alright Guy" and "I'm doin' My Best" are witty and sarcastic and perfectly suited to Gary's unique voice. Most of the songs, though, are straight-up sexy. "Man to Man" and "Man of Me" are, I'm sorry, just plain yummy! The music is stylish, yes, but Gary has an edge to him that is highly original! To me, this is what I love about country music today. There is a traditionalism about it, but it is also fresh and contemporary. He is out there doing something different, so I suspect this CD will not get the airplay it deserves! Everyone should put this on their Christmas List!"
There's plenty of talent to back up that swagger
Jennifer T Grogan | 10/03/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"I have seen Gary Allan in concert, and it is definitely a wild ride. He lives up to the promises he makes on his albums of a good-time country-rocker. I own all of his CD's, and this one is a close second to "Smoke Rings in the Dark" for his best effort. He has never liked to be pigeon-holed, but his music always lines up behind the now-trendy label of "Traditionalist Country". He has managed, after almost a decade, to maintain the sound that separates him from the pack, a guitar strong country-rock, without getting stuck in a rut. He plays to the young video-hungry crowd with fun, sexy videos, while still making music that doesn't sacrifice his largely adult audience. Though he writes very little, he selects songs with topics he knows about personally: heartache and moving on. "Alright Guy" is an album that lives up to all expectations. It has the right mix of old-style country, southern rockers and twang. I am not a girl who likes traditional country by the truckload, but I buy Gary Allan's CD's before I've heard even one song on them. I know it's a sure bet.
This disc has some beauties: "All Right Guy" is hilarious and you can just see Gary cracking up while he's singing it. "The Devil's Candy" has some outstanding guitar. "The One" is just about as sexy as it gets, in the same mood as "Lovin' You Against My Will" from his previous album. But "I'm Doin' My Best" has got to be my favorite. That song is just vintage Gary. This album is going on my top twenty, can't-live-without, take-to-a-desert-island list."
2 albums in 10 years
Jennifer T Grogan | 11/16/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I haven't bought any music for over 10 years because I haven't found anything worth paying good money for but a few months ago I broke down and bought "Smoke Rings..." and was elated with my purchase. I bought "Alright Guy" the day it was released and while they are very different albums, I am equally happy with this new release.
I believe that "Alright Guy" is an effort for Gary Allan to pull himself away from the mainstream, dime-a-dozen, non-thought provoking country music that is getting so much air play right now. There are a couple songs on the album, which while excellent (Man to Man, What I'd Say - great tunes I sing in the shower), seem to be geared toward radio play - and frankly, since that's how money is made, good for him. But the majority of the album seems to be music that I would imagine he just liked when he heard it and now enjoys performing.
My favorite songs are "Alright Guy" and "What Would Willie Do?". They are simply fun songs that make me smile and I would love to hear performed in a bar somewhere. Neither of these songs have any hope of radio play but are both definately worth hearing.
I believe that my favorite part about this album is that it is not worried about political correctness or whether the music is appropriate for children (finally! music for adults) as so much of country music is today.
This is the kind of country music that has been ignored for way too long by the industry. This is a fabulous album and I hope it does really well, so that there is more of this type of music released."