Customer Reviews

Straight to the Highway (Dig)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
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If you grew up with Jackson Browne, The Eagles, Springsteen and Mallencamp, you will be overwhelmed when you hear this collection by Dan Colehour. The finest works I've heard in many years---he is phenomenal. This is a hauntingly poignant work about life in mid-America. Dan Colehour will be a household name.

Dan Colehour's set "Straight to the Highway" may not being strikingly different from many of the classic singers to which he is compared, but he does it well. Originally from Iowa, Colehour plows the familiar territory of country rock. Trisha Yearwood recorded his song "Love Alone." That visibility helped his album originally recorded for Dreamworks finally see the light of day. The opener "Quarry Town" rocks with a catchy lyric, "In the name of God & country, we buried our friends in the ground. We never knew any better in a quarry town." "This Time" is another strong rocker with Colehour's vocals resonant and expressive, "This time, we're playing by our own set of rules." "The Likes of Us" is a catchy track which could have been at home on an Eagles' album, "I've been buying time by the interstate on this road rig dock loading freight; Some nights when the trucks run late, I step out back & stare." Comparisons to John Mellencamp are well earned on the pulsing "Lucky Man" until Dan breaks into an Orbison-like falsetto. The pedal steel guitars twang on the country weeper "Leaving Meridian." "Go Easy" is a catchy breakup tune, "There's talk tonight on the avenue, you may have found somebody new; I've been holding onto hope I guess, just trying to figure out how it came to this." "Father's Son" was recorded by Montgomery Gentry on his CD Carrying On. On Colehour's record it starts like a scratchy vinyl record before blossoming into a midtempo road rocker. The CD concludes with "Your Secret's Safe With Me" that strums softly for the first minute before blasting into the guitar maelstrom on the instrumental bridge, "Here's to you, little boy blue, swimming with the fishes in the deep blue sea; As long as rock & roll ain't dead, you can rest your weary head." Colehour's music comes across as an artist trying to break through. I hope he garners attention because there is a master album wanting to come out from this hawkeye. Enjoy!

I took a chance on this CD based on the two reviews and I am so happy I took the plunge. What a great album! Great songwriting, strong vocals by Mr. Colehour and solid musicianship. Reminds me of Chris Knight and John Mellencamp. You won't be disappointed if you enjoy country rock.

it really is my favorite cd this year.. it hasn't been out of my cd player since i got it. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!!