Dierks Bentley Albums (4)
What The Critics Say
Dierks Bentley is one of Nashville's best singer/songwriters of the 2000s, and part of his appeal lies in his casual display of his deep roots, how he built upon Waylon and Merle without ever seeming overly indebted by their legacy; it made him sound grounded, while his sentiments and crisp, clean sound made him seem modern. Bentley doesn't abandon this synthesis on his fourth studio album, Feel That Fire, but he does streamline and simplify it, reining in the ragged country elements and revving up the fist-pumping guitars in an apparent attempt to push beyond the country charts and into some kind of heartland rock crossover. This isn't a huge leap for Bentley, who has never been a roughneck, but he's best when he gets back to his roots and sounds as inventive and vigorous as he did his previous three albums -- when he teams up for a duet with Patty Griffin on "Beautiful World," when he co-writes with Rodney Crowell on "Pray," and, especially, when he teams up with Ronnie McCoury and his band for a rampaging, intoxicating bluegrass closer, "Last Call." These are full-blooded, substantive songs, the kind that linger in the memory. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
It's a sign of Dierks Bentley's increasing stardom and clout that he has a writing credit on all 11 songs on his third album, 2006's Long Trip Alone. Not every country singer/songwriter gets a chance to do that, but not every singer/songwriter scores a bona fide hit with his sophomore set, and Bentley's 2005 Modern Day Drifter was that, reaching the top of the Billboard country charts and spawning several hits, including the number one "Settle for a Slowdown." Such success allows an artist to set his own pace, at least a little bit, and Bentley was already showing signs of being a headstrong troubadour on Modern Day Drifter, consciously referring -- both lyrically and musically -- to such classic country mavericks as Waylon Jennings and Merle Haggard throughout the record. Given these deliberate allusions to such musical rebels, it would made some sense if Bentley followed their path and crafted a third album that was tougher, wilder, rougher than his breakthrough, but Long Trip Alone isn't that at all: it's a slick, streamlined version of his hit album. Keep in mind that slick and streamlined aren't the same thing as soulless; rather, the polish of Long Trip Alone is a sign of Bentley's increased confidence and professionalism, and how he wants to stay at the top now that he's gotten there. As such, the album is so clean it sparkles -- all the better for it to fit into mainstream country radio -- but beneath that sheen, Bentley remains a little restless, even risky. He'll bring the Grascals to play on "Prodigal Son's Prayer," letting them steer the duet toward their bluegrass roots; he'll explain that "The Heaven I'm Headed To" has a place for both priests and prostitutes; and he'll play tribute to his honky tonk beginnings, on "Band of Brothers," which isn't only a musical tip of the hat to hardcore country, but also a sly salute to his fellow road-warriors. But the main impression of Long Trip Alone isn't that restlessness; it's how Bentley can come across as a entirely mainstream country act without losing his sense of self. He's a savvy songwriter, particularly when he's slyly incorporating elements of rock or pop into his country (check out the anthemic opening of "Trying to Stop Your Leaving" for the former, "Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)" for the latter), managing to be commercial without being crass, coming across as sentimental, not saccharine, on his earnest ballads. At times, it seems like he could use a little bit more heft or grit in his voice, yet his simple, straight-ahead singing enhances his Everyman qualities and helps make him and his music all the more likeable. Perhaps Long Trip Alone may disappoint fans who were looking for his next album to be an unapologetic hard country record, but in a way, this is more interesting: Dierks Bentley has kept that spirit and put it within the confines of mainstream country, resulting in one of the livelier and better country records of 2006 and one that proves he is indeed a major talent. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
There's little question that Dierks Bentley has good taste, as well as a burning desire to be part of the tradition of rough, rugged, and sensitive hard country singers. In particular, he styles himself after Merle and Waylon, two influences that were apparent on his eponymous 2003 debut but come to the forefront on his 2005 follow-up, Modern Day Drifter. Even the title of the record signals Bentley's intention to be a ramblin' man for the 2000s, and the music consciously echoes not just the past, but ramblin' man classics -- the first single, "Lot of Leavin' Left to Do," is styled after Waylon's "This Time" and "Good Man Like Me" deliberately mimics Hank Snow's "I'm Movin' On." This isn't a drag on the record -- if anything slows it down, it's the occasional too-tasteful ballad, as well as such cloying, product placement-filled stabs at contemporary country as "Cab of My Truck" -- because Bentley has a nice, strong country croon and delivers this straight-ahead neo-traditionalist sound pleasantly and earnestly. He doesn't have much flair, though, as either a singer or writer. Instead of being a true ramblin' man and forging his own direction, he follows the path that Merle and Waylon created, never stamping it with much of his own personality. This makes for some good music, of course, but it's a bit of a mixed blessing that Bentley is at his best when he's following the blueprint of his heroes to a T. Next time around, maybe he can draw inspiration from the spirit of his idols and put his own unmistakable personal stamp on his music instead of just crafting his record to sound like something they might have recorded. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
There is apparently no limit to the number of Opry-friendly, down-home, good-looking crooners that Nashville can wrap in jeans and put forth in any given year. Like most of these, Dierks Bentley seems amiable enough, and, on this debut album, he makes each required stop on the stardom trail: rascally, boot-scoot humor ("Bartenders, Etc."), gauzy nostalgia ("My Last Name"), honky tonk swagger ("I Bought the Shoes"), boozy self-pity ("Whiskey Tears"), goofy outtake endings ("How Am I Doin'"), and, in "Distant Shore," an actually fairly complex purée of romantic revenge, poetic intoxication, and Biblical allusion. Aside from strident patriotism, which somehow slipped through the net, that pretty much covers all the bases. Bentley pulls it all off with a rawboned delivery that skims the surface of the genre without leaving a ripple of individualism in its wake. The last number, "Train Traveling," provides an unexpected jolt by pairing Bentley with the Del McCoury Band, whose intensity is evident from the artful accelerando that kicks off the song. But on every other track, Bentley is backed by competent and undistinguished players who know how to breeze through songs that value the deft lick and clever wordplay more than suggestions of depth or insight. This young singer clearly deserves whatever success he achieves for making all the right moves and offending no one aside from the odd disgruntled critic. ~ Robert L. Doerschuk, All Music Guide
