Before Collin Raye become one of Country music's best-known ballad singers he was heavily influenced by the country-rock of 1970s and 1980s bands like The Eagles and Lynyrd Skynyrd and the greasy R&B from artists like Aretha Franklin so it's only natural for Raye to finally release an album that features a heavy dose of songs that fit a similar mold. Recorded in the legendary Muscle Shoals, AL studios that housed many of the great recordings of yesteryear, Collin's new album "Never Going Back" stars off with the Eagles-like title-track. It's a song that immediately proves that this album is, to borrow the tag line from Frontier Airlines, "A whole different animal" from other contemporary country releases.
With a heavy dose of cowbell and Joe Walsh-like guitars leading the way, Collin sings a story about different ways one is "Never Going Back again" to something that is in their past. It's a song that easily could’ve been on a classic Eagles record but "Take Care Of You" couldn't be considered anything but a Collin Raye song as it reminds fans of Collin's passionate love ballads of the past. Previously recorded by Jerry Kilgore and strait, "Don't Tell Me You're Not In Love" finds Collin firmly in a "Tequila Sunrise" like mood while also showcasing a song that leans heavily in the traditional country mold without any fiddles or steel guitar, quite an accomplishment really (Strait and Kilgore both had very traditional arrangements full of steel guitar).
Depending on your opinion of cover songs, you will either enjoy Collin and Susan Ashton's duet remake of Harry Nilsson's "Without You," which features a stark key change from the verse and choruses. Raye and Ashton have previously worked together on "The Gift" for Jim Brickman's holiday album and while she failed to score any big hits back in the early part of this decade, it's easy to see why Garth Brooks and other artists wanted her as a harmony singer, she's very good and has a Trisha Yearwood like vocal delivery on this track. The other cover is Stealers Wheel's "Stuck In The Middle With You," a classic song from the 1970s that Collin really didn't want to do until his producer Michael A. Curtis suggested that Collin try it. With the band providing Collin a groove, he sings the lyric straight-up and doesn't over do it.
"Mid-Life Chrysler" is a rockin' little song that finds Collin singing about a guy who's very happy to live in the every day, mundane routine that is his life. He's quite happy to live his life in the here in now and not worry about turning back time. "You Get Me" finds Raye singing a power ballad in the grand tradition of Chicago's "My World Is Over." The album was originally scheduled to be a gospel release and because of that there are a few Christian themed songs on the record but perhaps none of them are better than "She's With Me," a song Collin wrote about his ill granddaughter Haley (read more here). With a gorgeous acoustic guitar melody that's backed by perfectly placed a cello-led orchestra; Collin sings a lyric that really makes this heart-felt song one of the year's best singles to date.
While "Never Going Back" isn't a traditional country album, it isn't really much different thematically or melodically from Collin Raye's other records which should find it in the hearts of his fans while also retaining the ability to attract new fans.
You can support Collin Raye by purchasing this album via iTunes | Amazon.
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