(El Toro Grande Records) Patrick Glenn hails from San Antonio, and has been causing quite a stir on the Texas music circuit. Even though he's only 29, he's paid his dues singing everywhere from military bars to the southern Texas dancehalls. He sang to everything on he heard on country radio, and in listening to him sing, you can hear the many influences he's soaked up along the way...out pops a little George Jones here, then maybe some Alan Jackson there, the next minute a touch of Merle, a bit of George Strait's phrasing style- yet Patrick remains very much his own singer. Although what he sings is basically traditional Texas honky tonk, he doesn't classify it as today’s “Texas Music”. In his own words, he calls his music "Texas country, you know, the type Texas has been producing for the last 50 years, and the same kind of styles you might find on the entire second floor of the new Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee. Most people here in Texas don’t know that we have a whole floor out of three dedicated to Texas in the Hall of Fame, and that to me is very important. There’s a lot of different styles that earned Texas that second floor of memorabilia, and I really want to help reinforce the belief that if you want to know where country music’s history comes from you have to look at Texas.”

Everything But The Words is Patrick Glenn's debut, and this is one debut that's packed to the rafters with A list talent. Co-produced along with Ace In The Hole guitarist/fiddler Benny McArthur, they enlisted the talents of other Ace In The Hole members Mike Kennedy, Mike Daily, Rick McRae and Ronnie Huckaby, along with Asleep At The Wheel fiddler Jason Roberts, Cory Morrow's guitarist John Carroll, and bassist Al Quaid who's backed Clay Blaker and Jason Allen.

Everything But The Words is not only the title of one of the CD's tracks, but it also sums up all the material on the disc. Patrick didn't pen a single song, therefore he provides everything but the words. The songs however, are supplied by some powerhouse names in the world of songwriting: Harlan Howard, Jim Lauderdale, Melba Montgomery, Keith Gattis, John Ims, Leslie Satcher, Rich Fagan, Jeff Carson, Jim McBride, Curtis Wright and one penned by David Anthony/Benny McArthur.

The disc opens with the up-tempo "All Roads Lead Back To You," that's packed with plenty of stellar instrumental breaks, and tells of knowing no matter what road is traveled, he knows just where it'll end up. The classic mid-tempo shuffle of "Back In Your Arms" describes a man's conflicted emotions of wanting to leave, yet finding he just can't get himself to leave. "Guys Like Him" is another up-tempo song that finds a man looking for a chance, trying to convince the girl he's not like all the others. The mid-tempo "I Think Somebody's Trying To Tell Me Something" has the character wondering if he may have stumbled on to a new love. The title track, "Everything But The Words" is a pretty, slightly bluesy ballad with a somewhat offbeat melody, about a love that though the feelings are there, can't be described because the right words are completely elusive.

The shuffle, "I Can't Stand To Watch My Old Flame Burn," shows the pain of a man who just can't take watching his ex-love making the rounds with other guys while he's nursing his broken heart. "I Ain't Leaving" is an outstanding honky tonker about true love, commitment and a guy who takes it all very seriously, he really ain't leaving- no matter what! Realizing he's been hanging around waiting too long, the character finally says his 'adios' to the woman that's done him wrong in the up-tempo "The Goodbye Song." "The Dust On My Shoes" is a pretty barroom weeping waltz about a man trying to find a way to get over a lost love. Patrick picks up the tempo with some Texas swing in "Hot On The Heels," that tells of a guy deciding not to sit around wasting any more time on a love gone wrong and is ready to go out looking for a new one. The disc closes out with another great swing number, "I'll Be Waiting Here" which has a man who's willing to wait for the one he loves to figure out he's the one for her.

On Everything But The Words, everything comes together perfectly, making for one very strong release, especially for a debut. Benny McArthur's production talents shine, the backing musicians soar, the song choices for the album are all outstanding and easily live up to the songwriters' names that are attached to them, and most of all, Patrick Glenn is just outstanding. He proves his way with a song- handling any style, from the somewhat more contemporary (yet firmly traditional) melodies to that old honky tonk staple called Western swing, with the ease of a seasoned old pro, despite his young years. As Patrick stated "there's not a song on here you can't dance to." Topping Everything But The Words is going to be a tall order, but judging by this disc, Patrick Glenn is one up and comer who more than has what it takes.

www.patrickglenn.net

AnnMarie Harrington TakeCountryBack June 2003