Album of the Minute – Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses – Roadhouse Sun
Feb 19, 2010 by Nick
32 seconds is all you need to figure out what kind of album “Roadhouse Sun” is going to be. At the 32 second mark of the very first song on the album the band kicks in and Bingham howls “when the day is done I was born a bad man’s son” and I think I believe him.
“Roadhouse Sun” is the second album Bingham has put out on a major label. Bingham’s first album “Mescalito” was released in 2007. “Mescalito” was a fine album that I have listened to more than a few times since it’s release but “Roadhouse Sun” is on another level. This album, like the first album, was produced by Marc Ford of Black Crowes fame. Ford also lends his guitar skills to the album as well.
Bingham and his band The Dead Horses live on the road and this album reflects that. Although he is not even 30 years old Bingham has a voice that sounds like it has been on the road playing clubs for at least 30 years. Rolling Stone compared Bingham’s voice to that of “Steve Earle’s dad” and I could not agree more. When you listen to this album you hear a truth in his voice, lyrics, and the music that is hard to find these days. The album feels as if it was recorded live and I would have to guess Pro Tools was not used in the making of this album.
While this album has a roots/Americana/country feel with songs such as “Dylan’s Hard Rain”, “Tell My Mother I Miss Her So”, and “Country Roads” Bingham also proves he can turn up the volume as well. This album has plenty of songs with big guitars that sound like they were taken straight off of an Uncle Tupelo record. If you don’t believe me check out “Change Is”,”Hey Hey Hurray”, “Endless Ways” or the best song on the album “Bluebird”. I can tell you from experience that these songs translate live as well. I saw Bingham perform nearly this entire record live and it was one of the best concerts I have ever seen.
This record is too “rock” for country radio and too “country” for rock radio so you will need to trust me on this one. “Roadhouse Sun” is one of the best albums I have purchased in the last five years. If you want to hear music that is made for the right reasons I highly encourage you to pick up this record.
Later,
Nick
Posted in Album of the Minute