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9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Lone Star State has never sounded better, September 14, 2003
It was only recently that I got into Pat Green's music. When I began reading more about him in magazines and in online journals, I knew I had to get his latest, "Wave on Wave."I made the right decision. From start to finish, "Wave on Wave" is a winner, chock full of straightforward lyrics, charming melodies, gut-level honesty and crackerjack musicianship. He's humble and fun-loving. What more could you ask for. Oh yeah, songs that will stay in your head for days. In this case, it's a good thing. Austin, Texas-based Green has been releasing albums and playing his unique and energetic country-folk-rock style (Texas music) since the mid-90's and has created a nice little niche for himself in that time. A song written by Walt Wilkins and Davis Raines, "Poetry," showcases Green's wide-eyed wonder view of the world: "Now somebody made everything / from the soul inside out to Saturn's rings / How my baby smiles and how Ray Charles sings / Of course we were created / The clouds make rain, the ocean makes sand the earth breathes fire and lava makes land / now that took a mighty hand and a wild imagination." Great stuff. And this is just an example. Other strong songs include the amusing "Elvis," a fun and funky track featuring guest vocals from Willie Nelson, Waylon Payne, Trish Murphy and Ray Benson. There's the "aw-shucks" folk-rock of "Guy Like Me" has Green concerned that love won't find him. In fact, a lot of the songs deal with the ups and downs of life and love. "Sing 'Til I Stop Crying" and "Run" are perfect examples of songs where Green has fallen out of love and is hittin' the bottle. Classic country music theme. Finding himself in Los Angeles, Green longs for home back in central Texas on "California." And on the dark and disarming "If I Was the Devil," Green has ye ol' Prince of Darkness plotting ways to scare children, kill livestock and corrupt preacher men whilst hanging out in the town of Blue Eye, Missouri. Fellow Texan Ray Wylie Hubbard makes a vocal appearance on this unusual and interesting song that sounds like a Appalachian (or Ozark) folk song. The title track appears twice. The official version and a hidden version at the end of the album. I actually prefer the "live" version that features his road band. The piano work on that version is nice and worth noting. "Wave on Wave," while not as strong as 2001's "Three Days," is a fine collection of songs on its own. I strongly urge all music lovers out there reading this review to go to your local record shop and pick up "Wave on Wave" by Pat Green.
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