Gary Allan Albums (7)
What The Critics Say
When Gary Allan released Tough All Over in 2005, it was a turning point. He'd been running all over the country map from the beginning of his career in 1995 (label A&R types and certain producers can feel more like oppressive regimes than nurturers of talent). But on that effort he finally contributed substantially to the songwriting by co-penning four of the album's tracks, and by embracing rock & roll in a way he hadn't before. He had to be happy with it. It was still a really slick record but it was harder, leaner, and reflected its title without giving up an ounce of the accessibility or appeal of his earlier albums. Living Hard is part two of that evolution. Allan co-produced with Mark Wright, and co-wrote six of the album's 11 cuts. The confidence that brims from the opening grooves of "Watching Airplanes," the set's first cut, is obvious. Written by Jim Beavers and Jonathan Singleton, mandolins and electric guitars entwine to offer a thin rope for Allan's delivery to walk as he brings a broken love song full bore to the listener. With an imaginative mix of Fender Rhodes, strings, big guitars, pedal steel and big tom toms, and slapback on the vocal, its refrain is almost anthemic; his vocal, while big and strong, comes off as bewildered while seeking to console itself by simply sitting still and looking into the sky without having any answers. As good as this track is, it's merely a precursor to Allan's "We Touched the Sun." Written with Jim Lauderdale and Odie Blackmon, it's one of those big, fat contemporary country love songs that endears itself to radio play, a big production video, and most of all, scores its memory deep into the ears of every listener. A simple hook that won't let go, the guitars -- metallic leads included -- are enormous, interwoven with strings and a transcendent refrain; the song is almost bigger than the record that contains it. But it goes from here and just gets better. And while no one track touches that one, "She's So California" is a country tune by Allan with Jon Randall and Jaime Hanna, and a hook in the middle of the verses right out of Tom Petty's fakebook. Pedal steel fills dominate it so it won't be mistaken for what it actually is, but the guitar sounds are even drenched in a Rickenbacker 12-string ethos. Allan loves to rock -- check the big bad riff on "Like It's a Bad Thing" that could have come right out of early-'80s MTV. The steel and fiddles are the only things that keep it from being hard rock; there's a B-3 choogling along in between the lines on both verse and refrain, pushing the groove into the dual lead -- metallic guitars are a nice twist, too. One can hear everything from Eddie Money to Bon Jovi in this mix, except for one vital element that apparently makes this a truly contemporary country album: these guys play loud guitars, but they're afraid of them. They compress these big riffs and the bassline so much that they actually end up sounding thin. When these cats can learn how to embrace a big bottom end they will be unstoppable, and if they let the rounded edges create space for that huge drum kit along with a bassline that immediately brings the listener into the tune, they will be unstoppable. Sure there are the equivalent of power ballads here too, like the truly wonderful "Learning How to Bend." With the echo effects on the vocal and the big strings at the same volume as those ringing, jangling guitars, they can't miss. Allan writes great lyrics for a pop lyricist, and here is more evidence that it's his own tunes that really connect. Some might be put off by those slapback digital delay chorus line vocals in tunes like this one and "As Long as You're Looking Back," but it's new ground. It serves these songs well and Allan is enough of a vocalist: powerful, strong, and in the tradition that it pushes the music forward to the next level. "Yesterday's Rain," written by Allan, Matt Warren, and James LeBlanc is the first true ballad on the set and it's the eighth cut on the record; it comes as welcome diversion after the over the top and nearly ridiculous Big & Rich/Montgomery Gentry style cross that is "Wrecking Ball" (the tune is so bad not even those acts could have pulled it off). Allan's "Trying to Matter," cops a .38 Special riff (think "Hang On Loosely") for another of his mid-tempo rockers, with a sprightly B-3 riding above the melody it works like a charm. That's the sun for this set: charm. Allan's personality on record, as nearly schizophrenic as it has been these past 11 years, has finally settled into its own kind of recognizable charm that wears its influences on its sleeve and makes no apologies. He uses it inside songs that are memorable for their hooks, their grand choruses, and heartfelt emotion, even if they aren't memorable for the long haul. The title track closes the record, and it's so over into the red you gotta hear it to believe it. You'll think your stereo is defective for a couple of minutes with all its distortion and wah wah pedal. It smokes. Period. Living Hard is a moment, hopefully not a singular one, for an artist who has worked diligently, put in the time, and found his way with the most consistent and striking album of his career thus far. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
'Tough All Over'
Release Date 10/11/2005
Tracks 12
Label MCA Nashville
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Gary Allan has been all over the country map since he began recording in 1996. He's made slick Nash Vegas records, hard honky tonk records, and ballad records. With Tough All Over, he's made enough of a mark that he gets to release the album he's wanted to make all along. Evidence is in the title cut, which opens the set. Written by Odie Blackmon and Jim Lauderdale, it's a hard roots rocker in the vein of the Blasters' more adventurous moments, with edgy electric guitars, hard, clipped snare drums, a harmonica, and even a Hammond B-3. Yeah, there's a fiddle here, but it's hardly of consequence. This is rock & roll complete with shaking tambourines. "Just Got Back from Hell," driven simply by a National Steel before the guitars start to roar and the pedal steel and B-3 start to whine and whinny, is a gorgeous country song that keeps its focus on tradition while looking toward the future. The shape-shifting early-'60s rock at the heart of "Ring" (written by Kostas) wouldn't be out of place on an Everly Brothers or Del Shannon record had they used a pedal steel to carry the backdrop of the tune. The Fender Telecaster is trebly and raw and stands in sharp contrast to the slick on-the-spot vocals. But that's not to say that Allan has abandoned the ballads that have made his name; far from it. "Promises Broken," "Life Ain't Always Beautiful," and "What Kind of Fool," with its finger-plucked single banjo line, are tight, full of emotion and romantic pathos. But it's the rockers, which also include the 21st century rockabilly of "Nick Jack Caver" and the roiling, guitar-wailing, Southern rock-driven "He Can't Quit Her," that hold the most attention. The album's closer, "Putting My Misery on Display," begins simply as a ballad and becomes a rock power ballad. Whether the public will receive Allan's offering is another question, but musically and artistically, it's the most consistent -- yet slick -- record he's ever done. ~ Thom Jurek, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
One of Gary Allan's gifts is the ability to sing about reckless drinking and fatherhood with the same amount of conviction. It's what makes his fifth release, See If I Care, a pleasing and sincere listen. With lyrics that focus on the changes in attitude one goes through while raising a child, the poignant hit "Tough Little Boys" is the obvious highlight and avoids schmaltz through sincerity. The title cut is another bittersweet winner and the slow, epic "Songs About Rain" is further proof Allan is a master balladeer. True to the Bakersfield aesthetic, the up-tempo numbers go easy on the rock and heavy on the honky tonk. The kicking "Drinkin' Dark Whiskey" sticks in the head for a long time and "Guys Like Me" is an energetic plea to bring back great tunes to the jukebox. The only thing keeping See If I Care from being outstanding is that, while none of the songs here are cliché, some are only fair and the album ends up more of a performer's showcase. Too honest for mainstream country and too darn fun for the alt-country set, Allan comes off as a true maverick with enough charisma and cool to make even medium material sound well done. ~ David Jeffries, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Gary Allan's fourth album honors traditional honky tonk and American music without dripping into the sentimentality that bogs down so many of his contemporaries. The singing is better here than on anything he's ever done, and the song selection -- ranging from a Todd Snider cover to a nice Bruce Robison-penned closer called "What Would Willie Do" -- is sharp and smart. Alright Guy presents a look at country music that bucks tradition while keeping the faith. ~ Michael Gallucci, All Music Guide
'Smoke Rings in the Dark'
Release Date 10/19/1999
Tracks 12
Label MCA
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Gary Allan grows better and more assured with each album, and his third record, Smoke Rings in the Dark, is his best effort yet. Similar to the Mavericks, Allan stylishly blends a number of roots styles, from his signature Bakersfield country to dusty folk and pop crooning, into a neo-traditionalist sound that is curiously out of time. Allan is considerably more mainstream than the Mavericks, which means that the production is more polished and he doesn't really take musical risks. Even if he doesn't quite hold his own against some Americana artists, he certainly is stronger than many contemporary country artists, especially since he tries many different styles and sounds throughout Smoke Rings in the Dark. Not every song works, but even those that don't have still something recommendable in their performance or production. It's a fine album from an artist that keeps getting better. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Allan's sophomore effort shows considerable growth since the release of his 1996 debut project, Used Heart for Sale, which seemingly filed away Allan's sharp honky tonk edge. This time out the project suffers from overproduction and some material that reflects the soft-pop fluff manufactured and sold as country music by Factory Music City. Allan is not a pop singer nor a soft rock balladeer and these schlock, country-radio-ready tunes do not enhance his position as a traditonalist nor do they show him in the best light. There are also moments when Allan sounds too much like fellow honky tonker Mark Chesnut for his own good. Chalk this up to the Nashville production style. Yet, this is a danger the native Californian will hopefully be able to side step in the future since his musical vision has always been firmly rooted in the work of George Jones, Buck Owens, Ernest Tubb and Merle Haggard. These influences are evident in his cover of Conway Twitty's "She Loves Me, She Don't Love You" and the Marty Stuart/Kostas co-write, "Don't Leave Her Lonely Too Long." Just as listenable is "I've Got a Quarter in My Pocket," "Red Lips, Blue Eyes, Little White Lies" and the only tune on the project that Allan had a hand in writing, "Baby I Will." Sadly, Allan suffers in the face of the marketing blitz that surrounds his young career. Too often the artist is lost in the product and the artist's true potential is never realized. In this case, only time will tell. ~ Jana Pendragon, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Gary Allan's debut, Used Heart for Sale, is a competent set of neo-traditionalist country that occasionally comes to life, such as on the single "Her Man." Allan's best moments suggest that he is capable of more. ~ Thom Owens, All Music Guide
