It’s been nearly 20 years since I’ve listened to Pat Green (as an old friend recently reminded me, Green was the soundtrack to many late nights of debauchery during high school), which meant that during the album listen I was stuck somewhere in between the present tense and the past, filled with nostalgia for country records of years gone by.
Some of my favorite singers from that late 90’s/early aughts period had a distinct color to their voice– clear, concise, and a rounded out low end that has a deep richness. They also tend to pull off the gas a bit as they finish their vocal lines, putting much more emphasis on the first few words of a specific stanza. Think Jakob Dylan from The Wallflowers, or if you’re looking for a more contemporary example, Matthew Ramsey from Old Dominion. These are no-frills singer who just execute consistently song after song, making the whole experience feel effortless.
Green has that vintage sound down (wait for it…) pat. That goes for more than just his vocals. It’s also present in the album’s production– you can distinctly hear this was recorded live, the members of the band all in a room together, chugging along in tight formation. It has a warmth that’s wonderful and unfortunately a little lost in modern country production.
Standout Songs: “Wave on Wave”, “Elvis”, “If I Was The Devil”
