Putting Western Back in the Country Sound
Randall G. Arnold | North Texas | 12/29/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"As I've written in other reviews of Rex's albums, his renditions of western songs attracted me to the genre. Specifically, the album "Ridin' High" made me a fan. I was excited to see this 30-year-old album finally released on CD (and can't wait for the rest of the Warner catalog to follow).
I had only a passing familiarity with groups like the Sons of the Pioneers prior to Rex's introduction. I had thought western music to be quaint and unimportant. This album cured me of such silly notions. It's not pure western, as the songs swing back and forth between that style and honky-tonk, but the compilation never feels disjointed. The common thread is Rex's unmistakable desert-touched voice along with solid, steady arrangements that never interfere.
The disc starts off with "Teardrops in my Heart", a mournful tune covered not just by the Sons of the Pioneers but also such diverse talents as Jim Reeves, Ray Charles, Hank Snow and Teresa Brewer. Rex takes some justifiable liberties with the lyrics and makes a crying violin prominent in this simple but stirring production that also includes a wonderful steel guitar. This song sets the tone for the rest of the album and is one of my favorites.
However, "Since I Lost Her to You" is in my opinion the best cut of all. This sorrowful song of loss, made all the more poignant by haunting harmonica and rich background vocals, shows off Rex's vocals at their best... from the soft, heartbreaking entreaties to a God both distant and personal to the emphatic chorus where the singer bemoans the clinging mud of a state he's got no choice but to leave. Backing vocals by Steve, Rudy and LaDonna Gatlin add a soaring harmony.
There are a few songs that I have to rank as not bad or just decent. These include "I Love Everything I Get My Hands On", "While the Feeling's Good", "Home-Made Love" and "Play Me No Sad Songs". Not that they're bad numbers, but in my opinion they don't come up to par with the rest. Rex does better on the minor cuts that he wrote, such as "You're the Only One I'll Ever Love" and the catchy, bluesy "I Gotta Remember to Forget You".
Rex puts his spin on some other standards besides "Teardrops". His almost a cappela rendition of his father's standard, "Streets of Lardeo", is the most chilling version I've ever heard. You can tell the song made an impression on him. He comes close to rocking on Bob Will's "San Antonio Rose", placing his own rhythmic stamp on the classic swing number and apparently having a blast in the process. I also prefer his cover of Carole King's "Crying in the Rain" over the version made popular by the Everly Brothers. Rex seems to put more heart into it, rendering a pop ditty into a true western ballad of despair. He's assisted by a guest vocalist whom I believe to be Lloyd Nolan (of the Sons of the Pioneers).
Of course this review would be incomplete if I didn't revisit the centerpiece, Rex's own homage to his heritage, "Can You Hear Those Pioneers?". Bolstered by his dad and the Sons of the Pioneers, Rex pays boisterous tribute to a time and music nearly forgotten in 1976 and barely acknowledged today. And as I came to agree then and fully embrace now, yes I do believe it's time that we put western back in the country sound! Thank you Rex for continuing to do so."
Track Listings (12) - Disc #1