By the time Riser was released in 2014 Dierks Bentley had come a long way. This dude legitimately spent about a decade of his life during his 20’s grinding to get his big break, spending his free time watching old country performances on video and heading to the local haunts in Nashville for research purposes (he was actually banned by The Grand Ole Opry before he ever performed at the historic venue for sneaking in to hang out backstage with other artists). Riser was inspired by personal struggles and triumphs, including the loss of his father and the birth of his son, and delves into that subject matter effortlessly– one of the standouts on this album “I Hold On” capture Bentley’s journey from barrooms to big stages, and while it’s easy to sort of sneer at the story around it considering it’s wrapped up in pop country sheen, there’s a real genuine authenticity to his work that has always drawn me to him.
This album also holds a special place in my heart for a variety of reasons. It served as the unofficial soundtrack for a few of my favorite life experiences– driving up to Angels Camp, CA to spend time with my friends in Givers & Takers while they recorded their debut album, and the early days of the courtship with my wife where we spent countless warm summer nights listening to live country music at Shoreline Amphitheatre (including a couple of Dierks Bentley concerts). It’s funny how just hearing “Pretty Girls” and “Hurt Somebody” brings me back to the lawn at Shoreline and I can see my wife smiling ear to ear swaying her hips to the music with her eyes closed. It makes me smile every time I hear Dierks. And I know that will never change.
Standout Songs: “Bourbon In Kentucky”, “Say You Do”, “I Hold On”, “Pretty Girls”, “Hurt Somebody”, “Back Porch”
