Disco de George Strait: “Twang”

Prime Cuts: The Breath You Take, Where Have I Been All My Life, Beautiful Day for Goodbye

Loyalty is the secret to Strait's success. Despite amassing a staggering 57 number 1 hits, Strait rarely disappoints: in fact, every CD is loaded with sing-a-long barn burners, pit and sawdust honky tonkers and his signature heart tugging ballads. Adopting such a winsome template "Twang," Strait's 26th studio album, is again bound to be voraciously devoured by his legion of fans. Strait's not only consistent in his audio output, but he is loyal to a small handful of songwriters who have first brought him to the dance. Faithfully he returns for the cream of their crop each year and here their names are again engraved in the song's credits. They include Jim Lauderdale, Dean Dillon, Steve Bogard and Rick Giles. However, lest naysayers yawn, thinking that all is predictable Strait does throw in a few curve balls this time: this CD finds Strait's adult son Bubba Strait coaxed his dad for his own three contributions. Further, Strait himself picks up his pen in co-writing three songs himself, something he has not done since the early 80s. Another surprise comes towards the end of the CD when Strait recorded an entirely Spanish song "El Rey."

As with most Strait albums the ballads are the highlights: Dean Dillon again tops the list of Strait writers with the best entries here. A gorgeous ballad in the tradition of "I Cross My Heart" and "True,""The Breath You Take" chronicles the highlights of the protagonist's life such as the time he met his wife, the birth of their child and so forth. While lead single "Living for the Night," another Dillon co-write with Strait and son Bubba, is a string-laden tortured barroom lament about a man so trapped in his pain that he only lives for the night drowning in booze. Wisdom comes with age and experience is the theme of the steel-drenched "Where Have I Been All My Life," which is surprisingly co-written by former Arista artist Sherrie Austin. After hearing the way Strait slowly nuances and caresses each word of the heartbreaking "Beautiful Day for Goodbye," one is tempted to place Strait on the same pedestal as some of country music most venerated crooners such as Vern Gosdin and George Jones.

When the tempo picks up, Jim Lauderdale's co-write "I Gotta Get to You," despite its cheesy lyrics, spells a future number one hit for Strait. A few plays of "I Gotta Get to You" will certainly get one hooked to its infectiously melodic line. "Arkansas Dave," a twist-ending tale involving an old gunslinger, is the panacea to the current epidemic of songs dearth of depth and imagination. Though written by young Bubba Strait, "Arkansas Dave" has a fermented age to it harkening back to the story songs of Kenny Rogers and Johnny Cash in the 70s. Further, Strait indulges in some swampy blues with a cover of Delbert McClinton's "Same Kind of Crazy." Though Strait offers his pledge of allegiance to country music, the title cut "Twang" could have been more anthemic if it weren't for its average melody.

The big buzz here is "El Rey," a song recorded entirely in Spanish. Though this is the first time Strait has crossed the linguistic boundary, "El Rey" (which means "The King") a tune that exalts masculinity, sounds like any upbeat mandolin-led Spanish tune out there. And despite Strait sounding very much like a native Spanish speaker, the song just doesn't live up to its hype. However such cavils in no way tarnishes "Twang" as a consistent good album from Strait. Anyone who has had loved Strait's vast catalog will find much to delight in here--the ballads in particular are tantalizingly great.