(D Records) Between These Lines is Jamie Richards' sophomore album on D Records, the followup to his acclaimed debut, No Regrets, which gained him two songs that cracked the Texas Top 50 chart. Jamie co-produced his latest effort with fellow singer/songwriter Walt Wilkins (who also contributes acoustic guitar and background vocals) and gathered a first rate lineup of talent to back him in the studio that includes Bobby Flores (fiddle, mandolin, gut-string guitar, and background vocals), Tommy Detamore (steel, electric, acoustic and baritone guitars, dobro), Ronnie Huckaby (piano and organ), Dan Dreeben (drums and percussion), Al Quaid (bass) and Joel Guzman (accordian).

Since the release of his debut, Jamie's been building a name for himself as one of the best new country singers around, performing traditional Texas honky tonk packed with weeping steel, lonesome fiddle and honky tonk piano. He's also making quite a name for himself as a smart, talented songwriter. In addition to writing (or co-writing along with Mark Chesnutt, Walt Wilkins and Jeff Batson) 14 of Between These Lines' 15 tracks, Jamie also co-wrote two songs with Walt Wilkins on the latter's latest release Mustang Island, as well as the title track of Kevin Fowler's latest release Loose, Loud And Crazy.

Jamie balances Between These Lines with a nice mix of uptempo honky tonkers, barroom weepers, heartache ballads, a touch of swing and a bit of Tex-Mex. The first single "Wasted," a strongly written two-stepping honky tonk lament, is currently sitting in the Top 5 on the Texas Music Chart. A real honky tonkin' winner is "They've Never Been To Texas," that slyly addresses Nashville and it's claim that nobody wants to hear cheatin' and drinkin' songs anymore. Late night promises that won't be kept are the subject of the guitar twanging shuffle, "Last Time Till The Next Time." Jamie delivers some breezey swing about life on the road in the title track, "Between These Lines" and "Devil In Me" offers up some fun, lighthearted Tex-Mex. 

The terrific mid-tempo ballad, "Every Single Day," is a struggle with loneliness and the search for love. "Tough" has an edgy feel to this steel driven tale about making one's way through life. Jamie's greatest strength may be ballads as he has a real knack for projecting a lot of emotion in his voice. "Someday" is a gorgeous standout where he very effectively conveys a man's melancholy yearning for something more in his otherwise content but routine life. "Back In Oklahoma" is a strong, lovingly poignant song of an old man recalling memories of his younger days. There's plenty of heartache and lost love on tap in the mournful "Last Call," the waltzing "So Did," and the regret riddled "What I Wouldn't Give." The steel and fiddle driven "Love You Back To Texas" offers a more hopeful note that a love can be reunited, while "Under The Influence" tells of a man ready to head back home. Jamie closes out the disc with an absolutely stunning cover of the George Jones classic, "Window Up Above." 

Jamie Richards gained attention with his cut-above, smooth Texas drawl and strong songwriting on his solid debut album. On his follow-up, Between These Lines, he's gained even more confidence vocally and kicked things up a few notches with another batch of first rate songs backed by top notch musicians and an album with just the right amount of production. With the success the first single off the album's had right out of the gate, he's expanded on that initial attention and Jamie's being noticed in a big way. Deservedly so. Country music doesn't get much better than this.        

Standout Tracks:  "They've Never Been To Texas," "Every Single Day," "Wasted," "Someday," "Between These Lines," "What I Wouldn't Give," "Back In Oklahoma," "So Did," "Window Up Above"

OnTheNet:   www.gladmusicco.com  www.drecords.net

AnnMarie Harrington TakeCountryBack September 2004

Read TCB's review of Jamie Richards' previous album: http://www.takecountryback.com/features/jrichards.htm