Score: 4/5
As one of modern country’s legends, Alan Jackson didn’t disappoint with his newest album, “Angels and Alcohol,” his first since he released “The Bluegrass Album” in 2013.
Jackson’s career has spanned three decades and is highlighted by iconic hits, such as “Where Were You (When The World Stopped Turning)” and “Chattahoochee.”
Although his traditional approach to country greatly contrasts with style of today’s country music superstars, Jackson’s combination of rich tone and honest lyrics strip country music down to its roots with a purely acoustic sound.
“Angels and Alcohol” is a 10-track throwback album for country music purists and perfectly reflects Jackson’s approach to using music as an avenue for storytelling.
The opening track “You Can Always Come Home” starts as an old school country ballad before transitioning into upbeat song about how no matter what happens in life it is always possible to come back return home.
The title track and single “Angels and Alcohol” combines the two essential parts of country music – love and alcohol. The song tells the tale of similar to Tim McGraw’s hit “Diamond Rings and Old Barstools” of how love and drinking cannot live hand in hand.
“Gone Before You Met Me” is Jackson’s guitar-driven take on the traditional vision of a rambling man in country music with lyric, such “Dang right, it’s a good life. But boys like me are born to run the wild side. Like the restless wind, you’ll never catch me. I was gone before you met me.”
Jackson takes a lighter look at what’s left after a breakup in “Jim And Jack And Hank,” which tells the story of a man enjoying his opportunity to return a single life after a breakup with Jim Beam, Jack Daniels and Hank Williams as company.
Part of this story includes Jackson calling his father for advice, “Son you just woke me from my nap…He said, ‘Now son don’t you hate me,but you know exactly what I think. You know you’re better off. You can fish, and you can golf. You still got Jim and Jack and Hank.’”
Jackson’s “Angels and Alcohol” is a testament to the roots of country music and is the last in a long line of straight to the point albums by a country music icon.
You can reach Morgan Prewitt on Twitter @kmprewitt_TDR