Anything Goes

Randy Houser

Product Details

• Audio CD (November 18, 2008)
• Original Release Date: November 18, 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: UMG
• ASIN: B001COVD9A
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #830 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

About the Artist
The passion, enthusiasm and conviction in Randy Houser's music is utterly irresistible. One listen to his soul-drenched singing is enough to convince you that you are in the presence of a masterful performer. One scan of his deeply felt lyrics is all the proof you need to see that this is a major songwriting talent. And one meeting with this smiling, endearing, open-hearted personality is all it takes to make you believe he deserves to be a star.

That indefinable something, called charisma, is all over his exceptional debut CD. Whether plunging into sadness or leaping for joy in song, Randy Houser has what all great country artists have - believability.

The album is the capstone of an extraordinary run of good fortune for the singer-songwriter. Thanks to his riveting vocal prowess, Randy is receiving great response from both fans and radio programmers with his first single, the gripping, strikingly emotional ballad "Anything Goes." As illustrated in his breakthrough single, Randy Houser is a breathtaking vocalist with fire and conviction at his core. The songs he has chosen by other Nashville writers for this album are superb showcases for the vocal side of his talent. In addition to "Anything Goes," they include the sensual "Strange" and the ultra-cool, groove-saturated "How Many Times," the latter featuring harmony vocals by superstar Vince Gill.

Randy grew up in central Mississippi. He was born in Jackson and raised in Lake, a small town between Jackson and Meridian. Musically, it's a region between the Blues and R&B of the Delta and the hard-core country music of the Deep South. There was always plenty of gospel music on the radio as well.

But his true musical foundation was the artistry of his father. His parents split up when he was only seven, and thereafter Randy spent summers with the professional singer and musician. Papa Houser was a fairly well known performer in the Jackson, Mississippi nightclub scene and was also a first call studio musician in and around that area for several years. After he relocated to Biloxi, young Randy decided to follow in his footsteps

"I started writing songs right away, at 15 and 16 years old. I was already starting, because I hated playing the `covers' of the hits. I knew that if I was ever going to do anything in music, I was going to have to learn to express myself. Otherwise, it was going to be the same-old, same-old." His father and mentor died when Randy was 21. He'd told his boy that he didn't want to be kept alive on machines. After his father lost consciousness, this young man was put in the agonizing position of having to "pull the plug" on the mentor he idolized. That painful experience formed the basis of Randy's emotional song "I'll Sleep." A few years later, Randy Houser made the big decision to move to Nashville to seek his fortune.

"I can literally say that a song changed my life," Randy reports. "I'll tell you how I made the decision. I was sitting at home one day and thinking, `God, what am I doing?' I'd been waiting around for so long and hadn't gone and done what I always said I was going to do. And then that song `Life Happened' came on the radio, and I just started bawling. And right then, I made the decision. I was gone.

"A guitar player friend from Mississippi had moved to Nashville. He said, `Well, come on..' So I came up in early 2003 with an air mattress and a pile of junk in a '92 Cougar. Two weeks later, the engine blew up in that car. I didn't know how I was going to make a living, but knew I had to make one"

Within two weeks of arriving, Randy ran into a woman who'd heard him perform in Mississippi. She arranged for him to sing a "demo" for a Nashville songwriter. Days later, he was getting calls to sing them all the time. Successful, Mississippi-bred songwriters Fred Knobloch and Derek George encouraged Randy. Derek took Randy to the Windswept publishing company, where Cliff Audretch, III became a booster.

Signed by Windswept in late 2003, Randy and co-writers Jamey Johnson and Dallas Davidson were on the charts with "Honky-Tonk Badonkadonk" by early 2005. Since then, Randy's tunes have been picked up by John Michael Montgomery ("If You Ever Went Away"), Justin Moore ("Back That Thing Up"), George Canyon ("Coming From You") and other artists. Cliff loved Randy's own recordings of the tunes and urged producer Mark Wright to listen. Now Cliff and Mark have co-produced Randy Houser's outstanding disc debut.

"One day, awhile back, Mark (Wright) and I were talking about singers. He said, `Man, the most soulful singers in history all grew up poor.' This really rang true for me. That's part of the reason I sound the way that I do."

Product Description
One listen to Randy's soulful singing is enough to convince you that you are listening to a star. His deeply felt lyrics are proof, that Randy Houser has not only lived the life of a true "Paycheck Man", but is major songwriting talent. His open-hearted, charismatic personality shines through in his debut album.

Whether getting his "Boots On" to party Country style or plunging into sadness, Randy Houser has what all great country artists have- believability. Thanks to his riveting vocal prowess, Randy is receiving great responses from both fans and radio programmers with his first single, the strikingly emotional ballad "Anything Goes". As illustrated in his breakthrough single, Randy Houser is a breathtaking vocalist with fire and conviction at his core.

Both the songs he has written and the songs he has chosen from other talented Nashville writers for this album are superb showcases for the vocal side of his talent. In addition to "Anything Goes," they include the sensual "Strange" and the ultra-cool, groove-saturated "How Many Times," the latter featuring harmony vocals by superstar Vince Gill.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Great Debut., November 18, 2008

By	A* (New York, N.Y. United States) - See all my reviews

I remember watching David Letterman and catching the opening to "Anything Goes," and if my eyes were closed I would've sworn it was Ronnie Dunn! Houser can definietly sing and for the most part that gift is on display. The downer is that the material depends upon it. Houser has crafted a solid album to showcase his voice but he ends up squeezing in the arrangements around it and nothing on it sounds organic. And from seeing him on Letterman and catching him alive, it's a shame.

What does work here are the ballads. The piano laced "Something Real" is a show stopper, almost reaching its heights is, "I'll Sleep," with Houser's voice reaching and achieving some great high notes.

I don't want to dismiss the fast tracks, at times they are formulaic, but I have a soft spot for, "My Kind of Country," but I wanted more, I think I'm just being greedy. It's a great debut disc and is more than worth picking up. It's nice to hear a man in country music who's young and has such a command of his vocal ability. Houser has an extreme range and I hope he gets more exposure.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing CD That Bypasses The Nashville Cookie Cutter, December 22, 2008

By	Brian B. Stephens (Sugar Hill, GA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've known this guy and have played gigs with him back in MS since the 90's. He is amazing, the real deal. And this CD is a very good representation of the kind of talent he has, both as a singer and a songwriter. Great songs, great singing, great production.

Do I think that the mainstream will get this album and REALLY latch on to it? Not really. It's not the standard pop/country fodder of the day so it probably won't, on the whole, appeal to the lowest common denominator. Do I think that people who appreciate great talent and great songs (and ignore pop culture accoutrement) will love this CD? Absolutely.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great music, great price!, December 18, 2008

By	Jil Watson (Detroit, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Anything Goes (MP3 Download)

I'm not a big country fan, but I really enjoyed this CD. Awhile back, iTunes had the single "Anything Goes" for free, and I really liked it. I thought about buying the whole CD back then, but I'm glad I waited since it only costs $1.99 today. "Back To God" is really good, and "Lie" made me laugh out loud. It is a very enjoyable CD. Thanks for the great deal, amazon!