(D Records) Fresh off the success of his debut album, Something I Dreamed, that scored a #1 hit on the Texas Music Chart with the song "Lucky Arms," Jason Allen returns with his sophomore release Wouldn't It Be Nice. The album is produced by Tommy Detamore and Wes Daily (with Clay Blaker co-producing two cuts) and contains 9 Jason Allen originals and 3 songs penned by other notable songwriters- Harlan Howard, Clay Blaker and Jim Lauderdale/Leslie Satcher. Backing Jason in the studio are Dan Dreeben (drums), Al Quaid (bass), Tommy Detamore (steel, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, baritone guitar, six string bass guitar, dobro, banjo), Ronnie Huckaby (piano), Bobby Flores (fiddle, mandolin, gut-string guitar, background vocals), with guest appearances by Chris Rybak (accordion), Clay Blaker (acoustic guitar), Andrew Sattinger (harmonica), Randy Corner (guitars) and Redd Volkaert (electric guitar).

Wouldn't It Be Nice is filled with a nice variety of dancefloor filler-uppers. The album opens on a South of the Border note with some uptempo Tex-Mex via the Clay Blaker penned "Make Up Your Mind." The tale of being down and out in Austin is told in the fast two-stepper, "Costin' To Stay In Austin" while "Chicken Pluckin' " is a fun two-stepper about a guitar player that features solo turns by pickers Randy Corner and Redd Volkaert. Jason delivers a terrific Bakersfield honky tonk rendition of Harlan Howard's "Your Heart Turned Left (And I Was On The Right). He offers up a pair of shuffles with a strong drinkin' song "Hold 'Em Up" and the outstanding "Your Gone," that has a really well done retro feel to it.

Another song that has a retro groove to it is "Devil's Destiny" that brings back those long lost Mexican bullfighting ballads that were heard in the early 60s. Also detouring off the honky tonk path is the standout, "John Boat Blues," an excellently done swampy, Delta blues number. The loping, laid back title track "Wouldn't It Be Nice" conveys a wistful longing to go back to simpler times.

Jason delivers a few ballads to round things out. "My Favorite Song" is a waltzing barroom weeper about a lost love. The pretty Lauderdale/Satcher penned "Everything But The Words" tells of a man who can't find the words to express the depth of his love, while the swaying "Must Be Meant To Be" is in a more contemporary vein that expresses finding true love. The album closes with a hidden track where Jason sings a medley of acoustic gospel songs ("When The Saints Come Marching In/This Train/I Saw The Light").

Jason Allen shows a nice range of styles on Wouldn't It Be Nice from straight forward to lighthearted honky tonkers, traditional barroom weepers to more contemporary fare, he shows a fondness for Spanish influences and an appreciation of the blues as well as gospel, and does equally as well in a full band setting as he does in an acoustic setting. The diversity shows Jason trying on new styles and incorporating more of his musical influences which shows he continues to grow as a songwriter and singer, making Wouldn't It Be Nice indeed a nice follow-up to his debut.

Standout Tracks: "Make Up Your Mind," "John Boat Blues," "Chicken Pluckin'," "My Favorite Song," "Hold 'Em Up," "Your Heart Turned Left," "Your Love"

On The Net:   http://www.drecords.net/JAllen/jasonallenhome.htm

AnnMarie Harrington TakeCountryBack May 2004