Norman —
Gary Allan
“Get Off On The Pain”
MCA Nashville
Musically, there’s a lot going on Gary Allan’s eighth studio release, “Get Off On the Pain,” produced by Allan, Mark Wright and Greg Droman, at least on the opening track anyway.
From the distinct tambourine and bottom-heavy bass guitar to the subtle banjo and steady guitar work on the opening track, “Get Off On The Pain.” Here, Allan aggressively is admitting that since he identifies with underdogs and “lost causes,”that he really just likes the pain of being a scrapper.
A bit overdone with the orchestration, Allan comes across a bit heavy-handed on “I Think I’ve Had Enough.” Yeah, the trademark Allan vocal style is intact, but this track is over the top production-wise.
Taking a thematic cue from Garth Brooks’ “She’s Gonna Make It,” Allan’s recent single, “Today” addresses a man full of regrets as he tries to accept the fact that his woman has finally left him and is doing all right without him.
Allan tries to make things right with the women in his life. Sure, he has that dark side but deep down he’s a loving guy, perhaps a little misunderstood …
“Scarecrows and devils are the only thing out this late / and what that says about me, it’s probably true,” Allan begins on the quietly building “Along The Way.”
Things get interesting on “That Ain’t Gonna Fly,” co-written by Nashville background vocalist Wes Hightower, with its driving guitars, retro organ and effective steel guitar, this is the modern California country one expects Gary Allan to record. A high point, for sure.
Again, heavy production — primarily syrupy strings — taints an otherwise solid song — “Kiss Me When I’m Down.”
Midway through “Get Off On The Pain” you find yourself pining for the Gary Allan sound of yore — that neo-traditional, smoky, twangy style that made him famous. No “Smoke Rings In The Dark.” No “Man To Man.” No “Life Ain’t Always Beautiful.” And if you want a solid pop-country song like “Songs About Rain” or “Nothin’ On But the Radio,” you won’t find it here.
I think he got the closest to his original sound on this new album with the subtly cool “We Fly By Night,” which Allan co-wrote. It has a dreamy, “Twin Peaks”-y, rockabilly ballad vibe that works well with Allan’s vocals.
And anyone familiar with Allan’s story and the loss of his wife to suicide, try to listen to “No Regrets” without tearing up just a little. This is the strongest and most heartfelt song on “Get Off On The Pain,” bar none.
While this album is a mixed bag, Gary Allan is still an amazing country musician and singer. However, one gets the impression he isn’t stretching himself like he should. It’s a comfortable place to be — extremely successful, popular among traditionalists, hipsters and WalMart shoppers alike. Still, is just coasting along the way to go? With a talent like Gary I should say no.
For those who get the “Deluxe Edition” of “Get Off On The Pain,” there are four additional songs — the studio recording “Long Summer Days” and live versions of “Right Where I Need To Be,” “Best I Ever Had” and “Watching Airplanes.”
Gary Allan will perform 8 p.m. Saturday at Riverwind Casino. Tickets are $52 for premium, $57 for VIP and $62 for platinum. For more information go to www.riverwind.com.
Grade — B-
