After achieving critical acclaim for the dark stories of a Southwest drifter on his major label debut, Bingham’s second set on Lost Highway Records has the West Texas singer-songwriter heading in a different direction both lyrically and musically. Bingham’s got a lot on his mind after a couple years on the road, and Roadhouse Sun is more a collection of quick thoughts and even quicker glances at American life than a compelling narrative.
With ex-Black Crowes guitarist Marc Ford behind the production dials once again, Bingham used his time in the studio to explore more complex and electric based arrangements. The album’s opener “Day is Done” serves as a good overture of what is to follow. After a quiet intro, Bingham sings, “When the day is done, I was born a bad man’s son” as an electric classic-rock chorus comes crashing in. Yet, the continual back and forth between the rocking chorus and a verse of simple guitars and no drums is a little disjointing to the listener. The album’s second track, the acoustic-based “Dylan’s Hard Rain” is reminiscent of The Byrd’s “Turn! Turn! Turn!” and pairs lines like “I took a step, I lost a bet/ They cut off my tongue now I’m full of regret/ Careful what you say if they ain’t gonna listen anyway.” Much of the album’s lyrical content centers around quick introspective one-liners instead of descriptive narratives. There is also a strong political slant to many of the album’s tracks. Songs like “Endless Ways,” where Bingham sings “I’m getting so tired of what you say/ You’re gonna let this while world go down the drain” aren’t afraid to speak out and be heard.
Yet, Bingham and Co. also find themselves doing what they do best on several songs. The groove-heavy “Bluebird” sucks the listener right in like a slow hypnotic version of Led Zeppelin’s “When the Levee Breaks.” “Tell My Mother I Miss Her So” and “Country Roads” are both acoustic-based rockers echoing Bingham’s brand of Southwest bluegrass. “Hey Hey Hurray” may be the album’s best song with a distorted guitar that just buzzes away as Bingham delivers his most aggressive vocals based upon standing up to all forms of “The Man” – cops, government and corporations.
While the classic-rock sound of Roadhouse Sun is good and stands on its own, compared to Bingham’s debut Mescalito, there is one vital component missing – storytelling that is just downright compelling. Bingham has the capability of writing narratives that people lose themselves in, and it seems Roadhouse Sun’s focus is more on exploring new musical landscapes and arrangements than storytelling.
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