(Highway 29 Records) Texas native and current Nashville tunesmith, Walt Wilkins, returns with his third album, Mustang Island. Walt's latest album is also the debut of his own label, Highway 29 Records, that he started along with his long time friend and fiddle player Tim Lorsch (who also serves as co-producer with Walt on Mustang Island) and songwriter Randy Wayne Sitzler. On his new release, Walt shares songwriting credits with talent that includes Pat Green, Danny Flowers (who also contributes some fiery guitar), Davis Raines and Liz Rose. Rounding out the album are songs penned by likeminded songwriting stalwarts, fellow Texan Michael Nesmith, Kevin Welch and Kostas.

Mustang Island opens with "I Chose This Road," an uptempo, uplifting celebration that finds Walt accepting, embracing and revelling in his life choices. He delivers a funky, swampy and raucous cover of "Grand Ennui," Michael Nesmith's tale of finding oneself and the freedom it brings. "Privileges Of Youth" is an upbeat but wistful reflection of the carefree days of youth that inevitably give way to the responsibilities that come with adulthood. Although many of Walt's songs have been recorded by other artists, Pat Green has been perhaps the most central figure in his career. Pat recorded Walt's very first song, "Songs About Texas," and gave him a nod in "Carry On." The two co-wrote "We've All Got Our Reasons" which Pat recorded on Three Days  and "Wrapped" which he recorded on his last album, Wave On Wave. Walt offers up his own versions of the two latter songs on Mustang Island. The uptempo "We've All Got Our Reasons" looks at slices of differing human perspectives while contemplating life itself, while the edgy melody of "Wrapped" (in a version that differs slightly from the Pat Green version) wraps itself around the complexities and the one constant in a relationship.

Walt takes Kevin Welch's gem "One Way Rider," a song about moving on without looking back or regrets of what might have been, to new heights. He slows the song down to a mournfully beautiful, stark acoustic ballad with stunning results. "Long Winter" uses that imagery to convey the story of holding on through a long, hard rocky patch in a relationship and the pride and satisfaction of ultimately surviving the rough weather. The powerful "Someone Somewhere Tonight" again offers glimpses at different ends of the human spectrum, while some people are falling in love and finding happiness, at the same time others struggle with pain and loneliness. Dark and desperate, "When There's No Money Coming In," is a hard hitting, heart wrenching tale of the effects of a man's job loss. Another standout is "Tonight I Might," the portrait of a man struggling with the seduction of the train whistle's call which Walt delivers with soulful passion and longing. He rounds out Mustang Island with two heartfelt and tender ballads that are declarations of love to the woman that keeps him grounded, "If It Weren't For You" and an untitled bonus track.

While Walt Wilkins has been blessed with success in Nashville as a songwriter, he's also a cult hero in Texas- not an easy task to accomplish these days. He's found the balance of keeping his Texas roots intact and maintaining his credibility there while pursuing a successful songwriting career in Nashville by writing edgy, intelligent songs of emotional substance in the vein of Kristofferson, Kevin Welch, Chris Knight and Buddy Miller. Proof positive it can be done with stunning success. However Walt's talents run far deeper than his tremendous songwriting skill and he's a first rate performer in his own right, possessing an engaging, warm and soulful voice that quite effectively and passionately scales every manner of emotion. A Walt Wilkins release is always something to look forward to and Mustang Island is his best one yet. 

Standout Tracks: "I Chose This Road," "Someone, Somewhere, Tonight," "Long Winter," "When There's No Money Coming In," "One Way Rider," "Tonight I Might"

On The Net: www.waltwilkins.com

www.highway29records.com

AnnMarie Harrington TakeCountryBack September 2004

Read TCB's review of Walt Wilkins' previous album "Rivertown" http://www.takecountryback.com/reviews/wwrev0203.htm