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Travis Tritt: Keeping the Faith |
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Track List
You Can't Count Me Out Yet |
Travis Tritt has
always been an unlikely "Legend" candidate, yet it seems as the years
pass, he continues to mature and grow as an artist while always
maintaining that integrity of sound and commitment to tradition that has
characterized him since his 1990 debut, "Country Club," all the way
through to his masterpiece "Down The Road I Go." But don't imagine that
Travis is getting stale. On the contrary, as he amply demonstrates in the
new "Strong Enough," Travis' music remains powerful, contemporary, true to
his roots, and 100% Travis. His own strong style of hard-rockin' country jams straight into high gear with the flash-burner opening track, "You Can't Count Me Out Yet," a pure Travis-penned original with a driving beat and hell-bent lyrics from a guy who's been knocked around a bit, but always comes back strong. But Travis never shies from the sweet ballad, as demonstrated in the radio-friendly title track, "Strong Enough To Be Your Man," but as good as it is, it's actually the weakest track on the disc. "Can't Tell Me Nothin'" is the superior ballad; the mournful steel guitar and sweet tones of the fiddle show that Travis might love to rock it hard, but he knowshow to really deliver a sad country song. There's also the beautiful "You Really Wouldn't Want Me That Way," and the exquisite "I Don't Ever Want Her To Feel That Way Again," showing that Travis knows his country ballads, and still delivers pain with a punch. Travis speaks eloquently on that subject with the regretful look at progress in "Country Ain't Country"; and because it's almost a requirement these days to give one's opinion of the "country music" industry, Travis asks the simple and heartfelt question, "Doesn't Anyone Hurt Anymore?" "I turn on the radio and I begin to dial/I do believe without a doubt the whole world's in denial/They're all singing I love you and what a perfect life/I've been around enough to know that isn't right. . . . I know there's people out there that love has put to shame/ Sometimes a song is all they have to help them through the pain." Amen, thank you, and when will they listen? Travis hits his rockin' best with "Time To Get Crazy," a wicked tune that calls to mind earlier Tritt songs like "Bible Belt," but when you do something this well, keep on doin' it. It's a part of what gives Tritt his distinctive, unmistakable style. He closes out with a vibrant "I Can't Seem To Get Over You," which, despite the mournful quality of the title and lyrics, is an upbeat yet surprisingly goosebump-inducing tune with a Celtic flavor and some really awesome picking. There is a silent but heartfelt tribute to
Waylon Jennings here - Tritt says nothing in song or in the liner notes,
but on the inside back cover of the CD booklet there is a picture of
Travis, posing as proud as punch with his Waylon Jennings Fender
Telecaster. This is a case of a picture indeed saying a thousand words.
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Kathy Coleman
Take Country Back September 2002