Music review: Aaron Lewis’ ‘Sinner’ another helping of country
I fondly remember growing up listening to country music legends like George Jones, Loretta Lynn, Pasty Cline, Buck Owens, Hank Williams and Conway Twitty.
Each time I would visit my grandmother, she would have the local country radio station serenading us with songs that came directly from the heart.
While country music has drastically changed over the years with a new breed of younger artists bringing a feel-good flavoring to the anthems of life, love and partying, some artists aren无毛视频檛 completely on board.
Aaron Lewis, lead singer for the rock band Staind, releases his second full-length country effort with 无毛视频淪inner.无毛视频�
Lewis has come a long way from Staind无毛视频檚 metal musings delivered on albums such as 无毛视频淒ysfunction无毛视频� and 无毛视频淏reak the Cycle.无毛视频� Lewis follows 2012无毛视频檚 无毛视频淭he Road无毛视频� for another seamless transition into offering up a hearty helping of traditional country.
With the track 无毛视频淭hat Ain无毛视频檛 Country,无毛视频� Lewis lets fans know early on where he stands on the bro-country that is currently dominating country radio by passionately singing, 无毛视频淐ause that ain无毛视频檛 country/That无毛视频檚 a natural fact/It无毛视频檚 full of tales of good times and happy endings/My life ain无毛视频檛 like that/So I无毛视频檒l keep listening to the old songs that my grandad used to play/Full of pain and heartache and desperation and the ones that got away/The ones that speak to me, the way I feel today.无毛视频� The inspired number includes respectful references to listening to the old songs from country giants such as Merle Haggard, Charlie Daniels, Waylon Jennings, Hank Williams Jr. and David Allan Coe.
On the title track, Lewis is joined by Willie Nelson singing about seeking redemption and asking for forgiveness through the continuous struggle of wrestling with personal demons.
Heartache prevails on the tracks 无毛视频淟ost and Lonely无毛视频� and 无毛视频淚 Lost It All,无毛视频� while 无毛视频淪unday Every Saturday Night无毛视频� provides a rousing anthem for washing away the problems of the day.
Also featured on the album is an earthy version of Chris Stapleton无毛视频檚 无毛视频淲hiskey and You无毛视频� and a duet with Lewis无毛视频� daughter on a stirring cover of 无毛视频淭ravelin无毛视频� Soldier,无毛视频� previously recorded by the Dixie Chicks.
The album was produced by Buddy Cannon (George Strait, Merle Haggard, George Jones) and recorded at Nashville无毛视频檚 Blackbird Studios.
With 无毛视频淪inner,无毛视频� it appears Lewis has found a home by performing his own style of outlaw country.
Clint Rhodes is the 无毛视频-Standard music reviewer. He can be reached at clinton43@me.com.