The record starts with the Mellencamp-like "Footsteps Of Our Fathers," a song that features lilting slide guitar and an atmospheric sound where Green sings about being mindful of the mistakes and successes made by those in who've come before us and the hope of a parent (in the final verse) who hopes his kids do the same thing. "What I'm For" is one of two tracks not written or co-written by Pat. Written by Marc Beeson and Allen Shamblin, the song rattles off all of the things that make up a man and his core values in life. While it's going to be hokey to some, it will be profound to others.
Easily the best track on the record, Pat's self-written "In This World" finds him narrating over accordion, shimmering mandolin and acoustic guitar about the differences in life and people that make up the human condition. It is one of two reminders on the album about the kind of music that Pat used to make. The other reminder is the revisited song "Carry On," which was the title of Pat's last self-released record and a track tacked onto his first major label album "Three Days." While the rerecording of "Carry On" is a little more 'rock' than the song used to be, it is still a good reminder of the rootsier side of Pat Green, the side that old fans miss and new ones probably don't care to see all that much.
and That's the basic conundrum of "What I'm For" while a sonically pleasing affair that I personally like, there is something that also suggests that Pat Green can and has done much better than what the ten songs here present. Sure there are radio ready gems like lead single "Let Me" and future hit "Country Star," --itself a Brad Paisley-like track about wanting all the trappings of a country star-- but by continually shooting for the mainstream has Pat Green lost most of his most ardent supporters from a decade ago and has he replaced them with enough new fans to offset the loss? That's the question he hopes "What I'm For" will answer.
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