Disco de Travis Tritt: “My Honky Tonk History”

The album opens with a light, popish piano riff...and then a shotgun blast and screaming electric guitars, and the unforgettable line: "Played a Telecaster/Til my fingers bled Bud Lite". If that ain't honky tonk, I don't know what is.

Travis Tritt is a modern-day outlaw. Though this album doesn't at all showcase his superb songwriting skills, it does highlight is voice and rebellious attitude. The rhythms, the lyrics, the style--it's all here, for your listening pleasure.

While there's a lot of fun and games on this album, it does get serious in spots. The song "We've Had It All" (written by Tritt and friend and frequent collaborator Marty Stuart) is genuinely romantic, while the powerful "Circus Leaving Town" harks back to the days of George Jones and Conway Twitty. "I See Me" is a tender, surprisingly un-cliched look at fatherhood, and "What Say You," the hit duet with John Mellencamp, not only preaches political noncomfority and acceptance, but puts a staunch Democrat and a staunch Republican in the same recording booth. I see a message there, somewhere.

MY HONKY TONK HISTORY is a stellar effort from Travis Tritt. Always an over-the-top performer, with a combination of rebellious attitude and genuine sensitivity, Tritt has managed to make yet another memorable album. Hopefully, this one will reinvigorate his career, and keep him going for many more years. Lord knows, he has the talent.

I have been a huge fan of Tritt's since he came out, and he is my favorite country singer, so when I heard that he had a new cd coming out, you knew I'd be there in line to buy it. Well, I did, and it didn't disappoint. He starts off with a hard rocking "Honky-Tonk History", and just takes off from there. My favorite track is "It's all about the money" which tells of true experiences from people cheating insurance companies to get money, and lying politcians just trying to get our vote.

But "I See Me" is a whole lot like "If I Lost You", except he isn't writing it about a vet's daughter who lost her mom, he's writing it about his son. It brings great memories to your eyes. Thinking about the past when you went to church and didn't listen to the priest.

"The Girls Gone Wild" is placed perfectly in Track 3. It's before he starts his ballad's, before "It's All About..." comes back in. (And that video...meowrrrrr...).

I'm not one of those reviewers who rate each song, because honestly and personally I think thats freaking annoying. I don't care what you rate the song, let me here it for myself without any preconcieved notions on it. I let you decide on getting this cd here, I'll highly reccomended it, but I don't rate things.....

Tritt is an artist who's true to himself, and true to his country and true to his family. He shows this in "What Say You" (feat. John Mellencamp). I usually don't like Mellencamp, because him, like John Mayer, I can't stand his voice. But it works with this song.

Gretchen Wilson wrote the second track on this cd, and Tritt gets help from ol' friend Marty Stuart on Track 9.

This cd is better than "Strong Enough" but doesn't sniff "Down the Road I Go," which has "Best of Intentions" (my personal fav. Tritt song on it). Tritt's version of "Can't Tell Me Nothin' " was copied by Tim McGraw, but Tritt's version destroys McGraw's version. Tritt has so much of a better voice than McGraw does, especially in certain songs.

Oh, and he doesn't dress up like a "pretty-boy" like McGraw does. I'm not saying I don't like McGraw, quite the opposite, I do, but Tritt is just one of the greatest of all time, and this cd shows that HE'S HERE TO STAY

Todays Country Music can be divided into two groups; Marketing Made or Pure Country. Travis Tritt since his breakout in 1990 was then and is now- Pure Country. This album received little airplay and that is due to the "POP" side of Country Music and current marketing to mainstream America. Too bad for America, here is a performer that will knock you out with his soulful voice and pure raw emotion in every song. "Too Far to Turn Around" is Travis Tritt saying that he wants to stop drinking, he wants to do right, just can't. Isn't that what we want to hear? "Honky Tonk History" starts the album with just that; a history of clawing to make it in the music industry and understanding the behavior involved matches the life style and music, but defeats the objective and not caring. "What Say You" a duet with John Mellencamp tells the listener that even though people have core beliefs, Democrat or Republican, deep down their values are the same. "Girls Gone Wild" is solid, but a little too commericalized for my taste. In "I See Me" Travis reflects on past mistakes and reconizes that as his parents were there for his problems, he will be there for his son's as well hoping the bad news will never come. Let me add one last item, Travis Tritt is one of the last big time performers that plays the small venue and for the public lucky enough to be in a 1,000 seat theatre, you will get more then your money's worth. This guy is underrated as a performer and his true musicianship guarentees the best is yet to be heard.

It takes alot to get me to take a Trace Adkins CD out of my player, but "My Honky Tonk History" did it! From the first track, Travis lets you know this CD will rock - and it does! It's difficult to find a CD where I love every track- but this one is it! From "My Honky Tonk History" to "When in Rome", this album keeps you bopping along. The ballads are beautiful and the "monkey" song makes me laugh out loud. A must have for Travis lovers and all country music lovers.

What can I say? I love the guy! You know it's Travis from the first note, Waylon re-incarnated but with his own way of doing things. Can't you just hear that talent and drive as you place the disc on the tray. Sit back, close your eyes and let it all flow over you. Magic!