Aural Fixations
SHOOTER JENNINGS
Put the O Back in Country
(Universal South)
There's been a lot of railing at the country music establishment the past few years, as artists sick of the soft rock pap fed to the masses try to break the bonds of Nashville orthodoxy (i.e. "if it sells, it's country"). Most of it's just pissing in the wind, of course, since the Nashville brass don't bother to acknowledge the carping as long as they continue counting dollar signs. But the tides are slowly turning, and some of these artists are being heard. Of course, it helps your case if you're (a) a scion of a legendary country music outlaw and (b) have the talent to back up your big mouth.
Shooter Jennings, son of the late, great Waylon Jennings, comes roaring out the hillbilly gate with his debut Put the O Back in Country, a powerful salvo across the bow of the creaking country music ship. With a sound drawn from, as he boasts, "a little Neil Young and a little George Jones/A little Merle Haggard and a little bit of Stones/Add a little Cash and a whole lotta Waylon," Jennings details the life of the roadworn musician who doesn't give a fuck about anybody's path but his own. A veteran of both the Nashville and L.A. scenes, Jennings has no problem critiquing either. "Solid Country Gold," a hit single in waiting (um, except for the profanity), claims "They can't see the country for all the goddamn trees," while the title tune snarkily asserts "It ain't country you been listenin' to." Of course, there are plenty of oldtimers as well as nü-country addicts who might claim this ain't country, either; it simply rocks too hard. "Lonesome Blues" strikes C&W gold, all right, but "Busted in Baylor County," an apparently true tale of getting arrested for possession of "that sweet leaf" (cue Black Sabbath quote) in Texas, clips along at a hyperspeed two-step without forgetting the power chords. "4th of July" is the kind of good-natured roots rock anthem perfected by Joe Ely and Steve Earle, while "Steady at the Wheel" sounds more like Foghat than any of the Hanks. Jennings has a background in hard rock as well as C&W, and it's this proudly acknowledged influence that gives the guitarist/songwriter his gritty edge. The goofy country-gospel seduction rap of "Manifesto No. 1" would be just a novelty if not for the dirty steel guitar and Jennings' nicotine-and-whiskey rasp, and the Southern rocking "Daddy's Farm" is the kind of deranged crime story that would work as well on a smart metal record as on an earthy country platter. Jennings varies the volume, as well; he has his daddy's touch with ballads, as "Sweet Savannah" and the lovely unlisted bonus cut prove beautifully.
Wags might argue that there aren't any trails here that Travis Tritt and the Kentucky Headhunters haven't already blazed, but Jennings has more talent, vision and, frankly, soul than either. It remains to be seen whether he'll be the commercial force he deserves to be, but I doubt it matters a good goddamn to him whether he sells records or not. Shooter Jennings is doing what's he was born to do. Michael Toland [buy it]
