Published on Sep 6, 2001
Shortly after my review of
Big Thinkin’ ran, I received a very nice e-mail from the
wife of the artist, Dallas Wayne, thanking me for the review. I do
wonder, though, how she kept herself from correcting me on one
point in the review. You see, I called Wayne one of the most
exciting new country artists I had heard in a long time… the
problem is, Wayne has been slugging it out on the highways and the
by-ways for some time now. Oh well… I guess she realized my heart
was in the right place, even if my brain was elsewhere.
Wayne impressed me the last time around with a mixture of
traditional country heartbreak and a sly sense of humor intermixed.
His latest disc,
Here I Am In Dallas, features little of the humor, almost as
if Wayne is saying that he no longer needs to prove himself as a
bonafide performer by using it. Granted, he’s the real deal, and
the songs on this disc are just as enjoyable – but I do kinda miss
the way that he could put a smile on my face.
Oh, there’s evidence early on that nothing’s changed. “Bouncin’
Beer Cans Off The Jukebox” is classic Wayne, who shows the ability
to take a typical theme in country music – namely, drinkin’ and
cheatin’ – and put a spin on it that, surprisingly, no one had
thought to do yet. Likewise, “I Hit The Road (And The Road Hit
Back)” takes the theme of a hard life travelling America, and puts
it into a unique perspective.
But the bulk of
Here I Am In Dallas is a much more subdued album – though
that doesn’t mean it’s any less enjoyable. If anything, it shows
Wayne moving a little closer to mainstream country in style, with
tracks such as “I’m Gonna Break Some Promises Tonight,” “Happy
Hour” and “Shadows Of My Mind” as prime examples. Where
Big Thinkin’ was an album filled with collaborations between
Wayne and Robbie Fulks,
Here I Am In Dallas features Wayne coming into his own as a
songwriter, with solo credits on five of the 12 tracks. (It’s
interesting, though, that he chooses to cover other artists’ songs
on this disc, something he didn’t do on
Big Thinkin’. This is not a complaint, as the covers are
well-chosen, such as “Hillbilly Jitters”.)
Quite possibly the best song on the disc is one which is the
most serious – “The Stuff Inside”. I can’t tell which side is more
powerful, the verses, or the spoken word moments. Yeah, this isn’t
the kind of song that would get heaps of airplay, which is a damn
shame, since this is the kind of track that would instantly win
fans to Wayne’s camp – but it’s the kind of track that’s both
enjoyable and makes you think.
Here I Am In Dallas might not have as many light-hearted
moments as I was hoping for, but this disc does allow Wayne the
room to grow as both a performer and as a songwriter – and, in the
big picture, that’s really more important. It doesn’t matter
whether you’re in Dallas, Detroit, or New Delhi,
Here I Am In Dallas is another must-own disc from Wayne.