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Album Review: Jon Wolfe’s Any Night in Texas is One Giant Cliché

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Rating: 3.5/10

Remember when I said in Texas, just like Nashville, there are basically two paths? One is the more serious, singer-songwriter path, and the other is the more commercial one, and neither are inherently awful. In fact, I like Aaron Watson’s latest record just fine; that’s a fun, uncomplicated album, and there are a few deeper songs sprinkled in as well. But the point is, I’m not criticizing Jon Wolfe and Any Night in Texas because it’s not some groundbreaking Texas country masterpiece–it’s just that it’s one cliché after another, and instead of being fun and lighthearted, it’s mostly just generic bullshit. And if it came out of Nashville, we’d all be saying so, but since it’s Texas-flavored, we hesitate–but if I’m going to sit here and praise the considerable amount of good pouring out of Texas and Oklahoma, I also can’t ignore the bad that comes with it.

It’s not as if Jon Wolfe hasn’t made safe, commercial-sounding Texas country before, but the amount of moonlit back roads and riding shotgun all over this record would rival that on some of Luke Bryan’s albums–also, I thought bro country had died? And when I said Texas-flavored, just look at the title; “any night in Texas” is perfect here because it’s all the worn-out clichés of mainstream country, plus songs like “Boots on a Dance floor” to make the album more Texan. But just because it’s more Texan, that doesn’t mean it’s more (dare I say it) authentic–just because Wolfe says in the title track that wild kisses on back roads can happen “any night in Texas,” are we supposed to think this is any better or more original than mainstream songs saying the same damn thing? And if we’re not on back roads, you guessed it, we’re in clubs and bars. “Airport Kiss” is essentially a request by this guy in a bar to have his girlfriend make out with him right there as if they were in the airport, or as if he were about to go to war. And then there’s “A Country Boy’s Life Well-Lived,” which wastes some truly great fiddle on pandering lyrics about a hard-working man; we get “cold beer,” “boots,” “American made”–you get the picture.

Sunny Sweeney arrives on the heartbreak song “Drink for Two,” and I felt sure her appearance would save this track. She does make it better, but even this is a little of a letdown; the song is saying that the only good thing about losing each other is that they can now drink twice as much. To be fair to this song, I think it could have been better with more interesting production…and that leads me to my next point.

There’s nothing wrong with making fun songs and albums, and look, clichés aren’t always the end of the world. It’s just that if you’re going for this, you need to make the production lively and interesting, and through most of this record, it’s anything but that. I heard it described as stiff, and that’s a great way to put it; if you’re going to make songs like this, at least do it right. And this goes even more for Texas artists than Nashville artists because Texas artists have such a commitment to live music. I don’t even think these songs would sound interesting live.

So, the brightest spots here are the aforementioned “Drink for Two” and the closer, “Long Song.” I did think sunny Sweeney would have made the former a highlight, but like I said, the production really took that song down. Still, that one is at least more interesting. “Long Song” is another one in a club or a bar, but it’s got a better premise, as the narrator is hoping for more time to spend with this woman, but if it’s their last dance at the end of the night, he at least wants it to be a long song. This one, again, is more interesting, and it tries to go a little deeper than the surface.

There are a couple of other brighter moments on the album too, and right now you might be wondering why I didn’t just feature some of this in “Memorable Songs.” Well, several reasons. One, even the brighter moments are honestly not memorable, and I don’t think I’ll return to any of this. Two, because Texas artists and independent artists should be judged equally with the mainstream, and if this came out of Nashville, we’d all be quick to criticize it. It’s not better just because it came out of Texas. Three, honest criticism from me adds to the validity of my praise of artists within the Texas scene, and when I say John Baumann made a damn good record, you can believe that and not question whether I’m biased toward Texas and Red Dirt music. And finally, and most importantly, because Texas artists can learn a lesson from Nashville; you have freedom to be yourself in the Texas scene, so use it. Don’t try to cater to trends, it usually always fails spectacularly. Be a Jason Eady or be an Aaron Watson, but don’t be something you’re not, especially when you don’t have to in order to please some label–it’s not the lighthearted material on this album that kills it, it’s the clichés, the way it sounds fake, and perhaps most of all, the way Jon Wolfe just sounds bored here. I don’t care what type of artist Jon Wolfe wants to be, but it’s obvious this record isn’t him, and at the end of the day, I just want to hear Jon Wolfe. I wish I heard him on Any Night in Texas, and I’m sorry to say I don’t.

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The Decent

The Texas-Flavored Cliché

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Texas Music From Oklahoma: A Look at the Texas Music Chart (October 19th)

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Texas Music Chart

1. Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen–“Lady Bug” (up 2)
2. Bart Crow–“Life Comes at You Fast”
3. Curtis Grimes–“Smile That Smile” (up 1)
4. Casey Donahew Band–“Loser” (up 1)
5. Mike Ryan–“Girls I Date” (up 2)
6. Kevin Fowler & Deryl Dodd–“Damn This Ol’ Honky Tonk Dream” (down 5)
7. The Statesboro Revue–“Undone” (down 1)
8. TJ Broscoff–“Phone Calls” (up 1)
9. Josh Grider–“You Dream I’ll Drive” (up 2)
10. Stoney LaRue–“Easy She Comes” (up 3)
11. Roger Creager & Cody Johnson–“If You Had to Choose” (up 4)
12. Jon Wolfe–“Don’t It Feel Good” (up 7)
13. Mario Flores–“Beer Time” (up 3)
14. Uncle Lucius–“Don’t Own the Right”
15. Saints Eleven–“I Don’t” (up 3)
16. Reckless Kelly–“Real Cool Hand” (down 8)
17. Turnpike Troubadours–“Down Here” (down 7)
18. Zane Williams–“She Is” (up 2)
19. JB and the Moonshine Band–“Shotgun, Rifle, and a .45” (down 2)
20. Chance Anderson Band–“245 Miles” (up 1)
21. Jason James–“I’ve Been Drinkin’ More” (up 1)
22. William Clark Green–“Ringling Road” (up 5)
23. Josh Ward–“Whiskey & Whitley” (up 16)
24. Jason Boland & The Stragglers–“Holy Relic Sale” (up 6)
25. Dalton Domino–“Jesus & Handbags”
26. Luke Robinson–“Roses on the Radio” (up 3)
27. Green River Ordinance–“Red Fire Night” (up 13)
28. Miles Williams–“Teasin’ Me” (down 16) [biggest loser]
29. Casey Berry–“Blood of the Lamb” (up 2)
30. Cameran Nelson–“Nothing’s Got Nothin'” (up 18) [biggest gainer]
31. Bri Bagwell–“My Boots” (up 2)
32. Ray Johnston Band–“Small Town Square”
33. American Aquarium–“Losing Side of Twenty-Five” (up 3)
34. The Damn Quails–“Just a Little While”
35. Cody Jinks–“Loud and Heavy” (up 2)
36. Micky & the Motorcars–“Tonight we Ride” (down 1)
37. Pat Green–“While I Was Away” (down 11)
38. Cody Joe Hodges–“One More Drink” (up 4)
39. Paul Thorn–“Everybody Needs Somebody” (down 1)
40. Josh Abbott Band–“Amnesia” (up 3)
41. Jason Cassidy–“Rest of Forever” (up 4)
42. Aaron Watson–“Getaway Truck” (entering top 50)
43. Blue Water Highway Band–“Medicine Man” (up 4)
44. Kaleb McIntire–“Ozark Mountain Stomp” (down 16)
45. Breelan Angel–“She Made Your Bed” (up 1)
46. Tori Martin–“Woman Up” (down 5)
47. Prophets and Outlaws–“Country Music Gold” (entering top 50)
48. Parker McCollum–“High Above the Water” (up 1)
49. Folk Family Revival–“I Drew a Line” (entering top 50)
50. Zach Coffey–“Love Will Lead me Back to You” (re-entering top 50)

  • New #1: “Lady Bug”
  • next week’s #1 prediction: “Life Comes at You Fast”
  • Aaron Watson is back on the charts with “Get Away Truck,” entering at #42

Source: Texas Music Chart

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Texas Music From Oklahoma: A Look at the Texas Music Chart (October 12th)

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Texas Music Chart

1. Kevin Fowler & Deryl Dodd–“Damn This Ol’ Honky Tonk Dream” (up 4)
2. Bart Crow–“Life Comes at You Fast”
3. Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen–“Lady Bug” (up 3)
4. Curtis Grimes–“Smile That Smile”
5. Casey Donahew Band–“Loser” (up 2)
6. The Statesboro Revue–“Undone” (up 2)
7. Mike Ryan–“Girls I Date” (up 2)
8. Reckless Kelly–“Real Cool Hand” (down 7)
9. TJ Broscoff–“Phone Calls” (up 3)
10. Turnpike Troubadours–“Down Here” (down 7)
11. Josh Grider–“You Dream I’ll Drive” (up 2)
12. Miles Williams–“Teasin’ Me” (down 1)
13. Stoney LaRue–“Easy She Comes” (up 2)
14. Uncle Lucius–“Don’t Own the Right” (up 2)
15. Roger Creager & Cody Johnson–“If You Had to Choose” (up 3)
16. Mario Flores–“Beer Time” (up 3)
17. JB and the Moonshine Band–“Shotgun, Rifle, and a .45”
18. Saints Eleven–“I Don’t” (up 6)
19. Jon Wolfe–“Don’t It Feel Good” (up 1)
20. Zane Williams–“She Is” (up 2)
21. Chance Anderson Band–“245 Miles” (up 6)
22. Jason James–“I’ve Been Drinkin’ More” (up 1)
23. Kyle Park–“What Goes Around Comes Around” (down 9)
24. Cory Morrow–“Old With You” (down 14)
25. Dalton Domino–“Jesus & Handbags” (up 3)
26. Pat Green–“While I Was Away” (down 1)
27. William Clark Green–“Ringling Road” (up 2)
28. Kaleb McIntire–“Ozark Mountain Stomp” (up 3)
29. Luke Robinson–“Roses on the Radio” (up 6)
30. Jason Boland & the Stragglers–“Holy Relic Sale” (up 7)
31. Casey Berry–“Blood of the Lamb” (up 2)
32. Ray Johnston Band–“Small Town Square”
33. Bri Bagwell–“My Boots” (up 8) [biggest gainer]
34. The Damn Quails–“Just a Little While” (up 2)
35. Micky & the Motorcars–“Tonight we Ride” (down 1)
36. American Aquarium–“Losing Side of Twenty-Five” (up 2)
37. Cody Jinks–“Loud and Heavy” (up 3)
38. Paul Thorn–“Everybody Needs Somebody” (up 5)
39. Josh Ward–“Whiskey & Whitley” (entering top 50)
40. Green River Ordinance–“Red Fire Night” (up 7)
41. Tori Martin–“Woman Up” (down 2)
42. Cody Joe Hodges–“One More Drink” (up 2)
43. Josh Abbott Band–“Amnesia” (entering top 50)
44. Cody Johnson–“Proud” (down 2)
45. Jason Cassidi–“Rest of Forever” (entering top 50)
46. Breelan Angel–“She Made Your Bed” (down 1)
47. Blue Water Highway Band–“Medicine Man” (down 1)
48. Cameran Nelson–“Nothing’s Got Nothin'”
49. Parker McCollum–“High Above the Water”
50. Josh Fuller–“On the Radio” (re-entering top 50)

  • new #1: “Damn This Ol’ Honky Tonk Dream”
  • next week’s #1 prediction: “Lady Bug
  • Josh Abbott Band’s “Amnesia” enters at #43 this week

Source: Texas Music Chart

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Texas Music From Oklahoma: A Look at the Texas Music Chart (October 5th)

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Texas Music Chart

1. Reckless Kelly–“Real Cool Hand” (up 1)
2. Bart Crow–“Life Comes at You Fast” (up 2)
3. Turnpike Troubadours–“Down Here” (down 2)
4. Curtis Grimes–“Smile That Smile” (up 1)
5. Kevin Fowler & Deryl Dodd–“Damn This Ol’ Honky Tonk Dream” (up 1)
6. Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen–“Lady Bug” (up 1)
7. Casey Donahew Band–“Loser” (up 2)
8. The Statesboro Revue–“Undone” (up 3)
9. Mike Ryan–“Girls I Date” (up 4)
10. Cory Morrow–“Old With You” (down 7)
11. Miles Williams–“Teasin’ Me” (down 1)
12. TJ Broscoff–“Phone Calls” (up 6)
13. Josh Grider–“You Dream I’ll Drive” (up 2)
14. Kyle Park–“What Goes Around Comes Around” (down 6)
15. Stoney LaRue–“Easy She Comes” (up 2)
16. Uncle Lucius–“Don’t Own the Right” (up 4)
17. JB and the Moonshine Band–“Shotgun, Rifle, and a .45” (down 1)
18. Roger Creager & Cody Johnson–“If You Had to Choose” (up 11) [biggest gainer]
19. Mario Flores–“Beer Time” (up 3)
20. Jon Wolfe–“Don’t It Feel Good” (up 4)
21. Whiskey Myers–“Shelter From the Rain” (down 7)
22. Zane Williams–“She Is” (up 1)
23. Jason James–“I’ve Been Drinkin’ More” (up 4)
24. Saints Eleven–“I Don’t” (up 1)
25. Pat Green–“While I Was Away” (down 6)
26. Cody Canada and the Departed–“Easy” (down 5)
27. Chance Anderson Band–“245 Miles” (down 1)
28. Dalton Domino–“Jesus & Handbags” (up 6)
29. William Clark Green–“Ringling Road” (up 10)
30. Matt Kimbrow–“Livin’ the Good Life” (down 18) [biggest loser]
31. Kaleb McIntire–“Ozark Mountain Stomp” (down 1)
32. Ray Johnston Band–“Small Town Square”
33. Casey Berry–“Blood of the Lamb”
34. Micky & the Motorcars–“Tonight we Ride” (up 4)
35. Luke Robinson–“Roses on the Radio”
36. The Damn Quails–“Just a Little While” (up 1)
37. Jason Boland & The Stragglers–“Holy Relic Sale” (up 7)
38. American Aquarium–“Losing Side of Twenty-Five” (up 3)
39. Tori Martin–“Woman Up” (down 8)
40. Cody Jinks–“Loud and Heavy”
41. Bri Bagwell–“My Boots” (up 1)
42. Cody Johnson–“Proud” (up 5)
43. Paul Thorn–“Everybody Needs Somebody” (up 3)
44. Cody Joe Hodges–“One More Drink” (down 1)
45. Breelan Angel–“She Made Your Bed” (up 3)
46. Blue Water Highway Band–“Medicine Man” (down 1)
47. Green River Ordinance–“Red Fire Night” (up 3)
48. Cameran Nelson–“Nothing’s Got Nothin'” (up 1)
49. Parker McCollum–“High Above the Water” (entering top 50)
50. Zach Coffey–“Love Will Lead me Back to You” (entering top 50)

  • new #1: “Real Cool Hand”
  • next week’s #1 prediction: “Life Comes at You Fast”

Source: Texas Music Chart

charts

Texas Music From Oklahoma: A Look at the Texas Music Chart (September 28th)

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Texas Music Chart

1. Turnpike Troubadours–“Down Here” (2nd week at #1)
2. Reckless Kelly–“Real Cool Hand” (up 2)
3. Cory Morrow–“Old With You” (down 1)
4. Bart Crow–“Life Comes at You Fast” (up 2)
5. Curtis Grimes–“Smile That Smile”
6. Kevin Fowler & Deryl Dodd–“Damn This Ol’ Honky Tonk Dream” (up 4)
7. Randy Rogers & Wade Bowen–“Lady Bug” (up 8)
8. Kyle Park–“What Goes Around Comes Around” (up 3)
9. Casey Donahew Band–“Loser” (up 5)
10. Miles Williams–“Teasin’ Me” (up 2)
11. The Statesboro Revue–“Undone” (up 2)
12. Matt Kimbrow–“Livin’ The Good Life” (down 9)
13. Mike Ryan–“Girls I Date” (up 4)
14. Whiskey Myers–“Shelter From the Rain” (down 6)
15. Josh Grider–“You Dream I’ll Drive” (up 3)
16. JB and the Moonshine Band–“Shotgun, Rifle, and a .45”
17. Stoney LaRue–“Easy She Comes” (up 4)
18. TJ Broscoff–“Phone Calls” (up 2)
19. Pat Green–“While I Was Away” (down 12) [biggest loser]
20. Uncle Lucius–“Don’t Own the Right” (down 1)
21. Cody Canada and the Departed–“Easy” (down 12)
22. Mario Flores–“Beer Time” (up 3)
23. Zane Williams–“She Is” (up 6)
24. Jon Wolfe–“Don’t it Feel Good” (up 8)
25. Saints Eleven–“I Don’t” (up 1)
26. Chance Anderson Band–“245 Miles” (up 2)
27. Jason James–“I’ve Been Drinkin’ More”
28. Wade Bowen–“Sun Shines on a Dreamer” (down 5)
29. Roger Creager & Cody Johnson–“If You Had to Choose” (up 8)
30. Kaleb McIntire–“Ozark Mountain Stomp” (up 3)
31. Tori Martin–“Woman Up” (down 1)
32. Ray Johnston Band–“Small Town Square” (up 4)
33. Casey Berry–“Blood of the Lamb” (up 1)
34. Dalton Domino–“Jesus & Handbags” (up 1)
35. Luke Robinson–“Roses on the Radio” (up 3)
36. Aaron Einhouse–“I Could Fall” (down 5)
37. The Damn Quails–“Just a Little While” (up 11) [biggest gainer]
38. Micky & the Motorcars–“Tonight We Ride” (up 2)
39. William Clark Green–“Ringling Road” (up 6)
40. Cody Jinks–“Loud and Heavy” (up 3)
41. American Aquarium–“Losing Side of Twenty-Five” (down 2)
42. Bri Bagwell–“My Boots” (up 2)
43. Cody Joe Hodges–“One More Drink” (up 3)
44. Jason Boland & The Stragglers–“Holy Relic Sale” (entering top 50)
45. Blue Water Highway Band–“Medicine Man” (down 3)
46. Paul Thorn–“Everybody Needs Somebody” (down 5)
47. Cody Johnson–“Proud”
48. Breelan Angel–“She Made Your Bed” (up 1)
49. Cameran Nelson–“Nothing’s Got Nothin'” (entering top 50)
50. Green River Ordinance–“Red Fire Night” (entering top 50)

  • good to see the Turnpike Troubadours on top again with “Down Here,” after a gain of 98 spins this week
  • next week’s #1 prediction: “Down Here
  • Jason Boland & The Stragglers are back with “Holy Relic Sale,” entering at #44

Source: Texas Music Chart