Joe Diffie Album: “Tougher Than Nails”

Prime Cuts: If I Could Only Bring You Back, Something I Do For Me, This Time Last Year

The 90s saw an aggressive onslaught of neo-traditionalists trying to put a contemporary edge spin to traditional honky tonk. Joe Diffie, with his southern flavored baritone, has certainly left an indelible mark with novelties such as "Prop Me Up Beside the Jukebox," "Honky Tonk Attitude," "If the Devil Danced in Empty Pockets" as well as his more solemn "Home," "Ships That Don't Come Home" and "Is It Cold In Here." However, due to the copious release of tepid material, Diffie's popularity waned at the turn of the millennium. His last album, 2001's "In Another's World" was not acerbic enough to set this Okie apart from Nashville's saturated crooners.

After being released from his contractual agreements with Epic Records, Diffie returns three years later with his first independent effort "Tougher Than Nails." With drummer and Diffie's seasoned producer, Lonnie Wilson still on the helm, Diffie continues what he does best: honky tonk with an attitude. However, unlike his last couple Epic outings, this time the material is a tad stronger with entries from Diffie as well as some Nashville heavyweights such as Leslie Satcher, Frank Myers, Wynn Varble, Harley Allen, George Teren amongst others.

Sprightly, finger-picked acoustic guitar lines, insistent fiddle quotes, a taste of moaning pedal steel, constitute the mise en sc?ne for the title cut and single "Tougher Than Nails," a moral tale of forgiveness crafted around the story of a father giving advice to a son to "do as Jesus would have." Diffie showcases his own gritty vocal prowess on "Nothin' On But the Radio," a catchy hard-rocking scorcher. Without any trace of slowing down, Diffie locks in high gear on his self-composed "Moving Train," a song describing the feelings of a man in love. Not a man to abandon his paternal upbringings, Diffie pays his tribute to his dad on the midtempo "Daddy's Home," a track reminisce of his earlier hit "Home" both in terms of lyrical content and melody.

However, George Jones' presence as Diffie's duet partner on the Leslie Satcher/Wynn Varble composition "What Would Waylon Do" is predictable and tiresome. Though "What Would Waylon Do" is a 2004 copyright, but hasn't such a title and song idea been used before? "The More You Drink, the Better I Look," "My Neck of the Woods" and "Good News, Bad News" are obligatory uptempo numbers. They are by no means offensive, just humdrum.

"Tougher Than Nails" finds a rejuvenated Diffie displaying some of his finer moments. Though not as outstanding as his first couple of albums, "Tougher Than Nails" is a definite improvement from his last few lack lustrous CDs.

A fairly rugged neotrad album, pretty much in keeping with Diffie's best old stuff. The title track is a Top Ten, religiously-themed hit song with a catchy hook... See, that Jesus guy, though all nonviolent and mild-mannered was actually pretty tough... tougher than nails... Get it? There's another religious tune later on in the album that is more subtle, "Something I Do For Me," with plenty of rowdier stuff in between... George Jones guests on "What Would Waylon Do," which has a nice feel, and "The More You Drink, The Better I Look," which is one of the kind of honkytonk no-brainers that put Diffie on the map, all those years ago. For me, the most solid song on here is probably "Am I," a weeper that holds up pretty well to repeat listens. All in all, a nice return to form for Diffie, who's been kind of up-and-down for the last few years... It's very commercial and formulaic, but better than average, I'd say.

I've just heard the track "Tougher Than Nails", but thats all I need to hear from this album to want to buy it. It's one of few songs I could listen to hour after hour on the radio and not get bored. It's so beautiful and so inspirational. Awesome musical arrangements, vocals, songwriting...everything goes together to make one big WOW, and then add to it how meaningful it is.

My favorite part is when it breaks from the first part of the song and says..."well he dropped that bat like it weighed a ton," and then the lyrics that follow just make the tears fill in your eyes, as you feel the love of a father for his child...along with the love Jesus has for all of us. The lyrics just flow together so well. This song is material for a grammy...my opinion.

I'm buying two of these CD's, one for me and the other for my brother as a late b'day present. I'm sure he's going to love it! I wish you Joe Diffie, much continued success! God Bless You!

Wow! Quite frankly, Joe Diffie's best studio album. Not a bad song on the CD. As a father and Christian, the title track hits home like a "baseball bat". I do not like ballads in general, but the ballads on this CD are quite enjoyable and very pleasant to listen to.

Great job, Joe.

Tougher Than Nails is another great album from Joe Diffie. The songs on this album showcase the best voice in country music! Whether singing a poignant ballad like If I Could Only Bring You Back of one of the just for fun tunes like What Would Waylon Do?, Joe makes you feel the music. From the first song until the last, this is truly a collection of hits.