Search - Greg Trooper :: Floating

One of the best of 2003

Music fan | Norfolk, VA USA | 07/01/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If Trooper had as many fans elsewhere as he does in Nashville, he'd be as big as Steve Earle or at least, Robert Earl Keen (both of whom have recorded his tunes). Let's see. His fans include Buddy and Julie Miller (both of whom have guested on his records), Vince Gill, Maura O'Connell, Billy Bragg and Earle. Earle, not known for issuing the empty compliment, contributes laudatory liner notes on Floating, listing Trooper as one of the few songwriters whose tunes he covers (along with Springsteen, Cash, Sahm, Cobain and a few others). "Floating" is the best in a line of fine, but sadly unnoticed Trooper records. There isn't a bad cut on the disc. Not one. It's the kind of record that after one listen, you think, "That's pretty good." After three listens, you're convinced it's a country rock classic. Trooper figures a songwriter, not the listener, ought to do the heavy lifting. So his lyrics are carefully crafted whether they're about moving on in "The Road So Long," chuckling about a life in "Lucky That Way" ("I've had good luck in many bad situations," he sings) or the stunning "Muhammad Ali (The Meaning of Christmas)." On "Muhammad Ali," Trooper breaks your heart in waltz time, portraying an Ali dealing with Parkinson's as true champion. "Now his hands are shaking. And his knees are weak," he sings. "But listen when this old warrior speaks. I am the greatest,' he said with a grin. But he was talking about you. Not about him. And he's teaching me the meaning of Christmas." Trooper's considerable craft may begin with the lyrics, but it doesn't end there. His melodies are strong, easy to adopt. And he may be the best singer in Nashville. Just listen to the enchanting duet with O'Connell on "Innisheer." It's a voice that'll break your heart if you give it half a chance. This is atop my list of the best albums of 2003..."

Ice-Cold Drink On A Hot Summer Day

Lee Armstrong | Winterville, NC United States | 05/16/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is my 2nd Trooper disc, with 1996's excellent "Noises in the Hallway" being the other. Of the 6 releases I find listed for Greg, both of these are consistently excellent discs with the sound quality of the recording on Sugar Hill's "Floating" being superior to that of the small label '96 release. Two of these tracks are my very favorite. "From Only You" is a good-time toe-tapper with Phil Madeira's accordion giving a down home feel as Greg's sings, "I got an ice-cold drink on a hot summer day; you got an ice-cold heart to treat me this way; I need love from you baby." My other very favorite is the closer "The Lasting Kind" with Jake Armerding's gorgeous fiddle that communicates an aching quality to Greg's lovely vocal, "All we have is now, so can't we let it be; Forget the why & how, trust the mystery." Both of these are great love songs, the first happy and the second reflective in tone.The rest of the songs on the disc are also excellent. The track "Muhammad Ali (The Meaning of Christmas)" is probably getting the most press since Steve Earle sings it. It's a sweet ballad with Ali's famous "float like a butterfly, sting like a bee" imagery included in the lyric. Particularly lovely is Greg's duet with Maura O'Connell on "Inisheer," "Give to me your burden & your fear, Let us wander through this world together & we will find our way to Inisheer." For me, Greg's most affecting performance as a vocalist is on the slow soulful groove of "Apology." The other tracks are also great from "When My Tears Break Through" penned with Buddy Mondlock who did such a great job with Art Garfunkel & Maia Sharp on the "Everything Waits to Be Noticed" CD to the title track and the lovely melody of "Rose, With You." "Floating" is a mostly mellow acoustic set with strong vocals, sterling instrumentation and marvelous songs. Enjoy!"