The rockin’ track “Lowdown and Lonesome” kicks off the album and it finds Randy Houser firmly in a southern rock mood but while the tune is as “rockin’” as “Boots On,” The song really is more classically-aligned with guitars that swell in the right places a-la-Skynyrd and a boogie-filled groove that shows off a little of the Delta soul that is infused in Randy Houser’s blood. With lyrics about a man who has nothing left but has “hit rock bottom since that woman put that lowdown and lonesome on me.” The title track features a vibrant traditionalist melody which finds steel guitar leading the way in the chorus. It’s a song that recalls parts of different eras of country music in different parts without ever feeling like a replica of any of the eras. “Addicted” is the kind of song that may be ‘too slow’ to be a hit radio single (it’s also over five minutes long) but it’s a damn fine showcase of Randy Houser’s fantastic vocals while also being a nice showcase of his songwriting ability as the lone writer on this one (he wrote or co-wrote the entire album).
The single at the time of the release of They Call Me Cadillac was “A Man Like Me.” Like “Cadillac,” this tune is reverential and reflective of country music’s past without feeling like a carbon copy. Steel guitar and a Waylon-like ‘back line’ drive the song as the verses find Randy Houser proclaiming his surprise that he’s gotten the kind of woman who could love the man in the song – flaws and all – like she does. “Will I Always Be This Way” is undoubtedly a country song, the kind of neo-traditionalist tune (with Floyd Cramer piano fills, Lloyd Green-like melancholic steel guitar swells) and I dare anyone to find a vocal as nuanced and textured as what Randy Houser gives us on this song he co-wrote with Brice Long.
With a title like “Out Here In The Country” people might expect another track like “Boots On” or any of the ‘I’m from the country and proud to be’ songs but what people do get is a song that revels in being a country boy, a man who doesn’t need to go to the city to get what he wants. Fans of anything on Jamey Johnson’s records should find something to like in the song as the melody and steel guitar (once again providing ‘color’ on the song) suits many of the songs in Jamey’s song catalog. With a lonesome lyric about a road dog missing his woman who is at home, “Here With Me” feels like the kind of song a superstar artist would be able to turn into a classic hit. It’s a song that anyone who has to be gone from home more than they want to be gone will find themselves relating to in a big way.
First single “Whistlin’ Dixie” may not have scored Top 10 or even Top 30 status but it did hit home with quite a few people this past spring and whet many people’s appetite for the album (which really doesn’t have anything else on the album that recalls the southern fried ‘metal’ guitars on it). In fact within the contest of the rest of the album the song feels a bit outta place but as the hit single (at the time of release) the song needs to be on the record. “Somewhere South of Memphis” brings out Randy’s ‘delta soul’ again as he goes all bluesy on this track and channels Hank Williams, Jr. in parts of the song.
The lead single from They Call Me Cadillac was the modest chart hit “Whistlin’ Dixie” and this tune, which is sung in a similar way to “Boots On” in that Randy Houser’s voice is tuned up to 10 throughout the song. Heavily influenced by Waylon Jennings and the ‘outlaw’ period of country music, “If I Could Buy Me Some Time” is a song that really recalls this period in melody, lyric and vocal tone as Houser describes what a man would do if he had enough time to prove his worth to his ‘girl.’ Randy’s close friend Jamey Johnson previously recorded “Lead Me Home” on his The Dollar album in 2005 and the beautiful, faith-filled ballad gets reprieved here. While Jamey sang it really well, the song allows Randy to show off his fantastic, soulful voice and the production choices on Randy’s own version of this Craig Monday co-write is stark. Rather than be a rafters raising gospel choir-backed song (the Buddy Cannon-produced Johnson version was this way), Randy’s version is completely acoustic and features just him carrying the song. It’s soft, delicate and a beautiful way to end the They Call Me Cadillac album.
After releasing an album that felt more ‘radio-ready’ and ‘polished’ for mainstream airplay, Randy Houser’s avoids a sophomore slump by recording an album that is – like Jamey Johnson – not following the latest trends at radio. What They Call Me Cadillac is instead is a fantastic collection of songs that speak to the human condition through the good times and bad. It’s the kind of record that really sets a foundation for an artist to build their career up the way they want to. If you enjoy country music (the classic or modern kinds) you’ll likely find something worth listening to on They Call Me Cadillac, one of 2010’s strongest, most artistic releases to come from a mainstream country label and artist.
Note: there are three versions of this album, the regular one reviewed here, the deluxe version and a vinyl version. Links to purchase each version are below.
You can support Randy Houser by purchasing this album at Amazon | Amazon (Deluxe) | iTunes.
If you prefer your music to be more than ones and zeroes you can buy it at Amazon CD | Amazon Vinyl.
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