Thursday, June 2, 2011

CD Review: "Town Line" - Aaron Lewis


CD: "Town Line"
Artist: Aaron Lewis
Release:
Label: Stroudavarious Records

I am the first to admit, I do not know a thing about Staind or Aaron Lewis, but when I first heard "Country Boy" I was completely left speechless. What a rare quality Aaron Lewis has both in his songwriting ability and his voice! When it comes to his music, one word comes to mind - WOW! Sorry, that's the only word that truly describes what I'm listening to. Aaron is one of the few songwriters that composes pieces that can crossover from rock to country with the simple change of an instrument. His instrument of choice is an acoustic guitar and his uncomplicated, simplistic yet powerful vocal ability and that's more than enough to turn a simple piece of music into a work of musical art. The bare instrumentation and writing, combined with Aaron's one of kind vocals makes for a winning outcome.

"Country Boy", the debut single  and video have carved out Aaron's place in country music as a serious artist, one to be reckoned with and respected. The song has earned him the top spot on the country albums chart and 2 CMT Music Awardnominations, one for "Breakthrough Video of the Year" and "Collaborative Video of the Year". This lead in single has taken radio and television networks like CMT by storm and has fast become one of the most requested songs/videos and is an obvious fan favorite. The song tells the story of Aaron's crossover into country music and his view from the eyes of a true country boy that tried the Hollywood life of a rock star and decided that it just isn't who he is. The 7 song cd features 3 versions of this song: the original, the radio edit and an amazing acoustic version. 

"The Story Never Ends" is another outstanding song, and one of my top 3 favorites on the cd. The song is his personal reflection of the importance of coming home after life on the road, the importance it has in his life and the life of his family. It's his tribute to his hometown life and the serenity it brings to his life. It's a sentiment that I'm sure most of us can relate to after being away from home any length of time. It kinda hits "home", at least it does to me. Another favorite is "Tangled Up in You", a moving testament of the true love in his life, the person that keeps him grounded and his continuing adoration of that relationship. The song is so deep and emotional, it actually gives me goosebumps every time I hear it. I've decided that I MUST have this as my wedding song if that day ever comes, it embodies everything that love between two people should sound like if their love was put to music. This song defines excellence in songwriting and in Aaron's ability to express the meaning in a song. My third favorite song is "Massachusetts", another gift of lyrical gratitude about coming home to those who love him, the place he longs to be, and where his heart is. 

There is not really a bad song on this entire cd, as a matter of fact they are all pretty much "press repeat and let them play over and over" songs with the exception of one I'm not that crazy about, "Vicious Circles". It's a good song, just not one of my favorites. I haven't taken the cd out of my cd player since I received it to review, it's that good and honestly, there aren't too many I can say that about these days. I can with all confidence say this is one you should purchase and listen to quite often. The lyrics and tone of these songs will make you grateful for truly good artists and songwriters.

You can purchase "Town Line" at Amazon.comWalmart or iTunes.

You can find Aaron online at:



1 comment:

Ingrid Ward said...

another awesome review!