The title track is the lead single to the project and it showcases an artist who is more willing to record songs which he relates to first, more than just finding songs that repeat the production, lyrics and melodies of Barefoot Blue Jean Night’s hits. That’s not to say that there isn’t more ‘tempo’ on Days of Gold — because there is — but the production always works in service of the vocal and lyrics and not the other way around. working with Joey Moi for the full album. They make a great team with Owen’s strong vocals able to rise above melodies which could drown out lesser vocalists. Case in point is “Ghost Town,” a song which has a gorgeous melody to it but also allows Owen to carry the song (which is about a guy who can’t shake the memory of a lost love).
Like any album released in 2013, there needs to be somewhat of an ‘endless party’ song or two on the album and “Beachin’,” “Good Timing,” “Tall Glass of Something” and “Sure Feels Right’” color the album with these kinds of song (just like the title track does) and they also give Owen something else to be proud of as they don’t all sound the same or tired. “Tall Glass Of Something” has a funky, Jason Mraz-vibe while “Beachin’” has a talking’ song, sing-a-long vibe to it. “Good Timing” may be the most ‘radio-like’ songs of the tracks on the record, meaning it’s probably as middle-of-the-road as this album gets, even if it is entirely mainstream in approach and scope.
Where Days of Gold breaks out from the pack is the fantastic future hit “1972,” the kind of party song artists should be looking for as it finds Owen wanting to hang out with a girl he likes by listening to some of his father’s old vinyl records. Another standout track on Days Of Gold is “Life Of The Party,” a song that’s pulls a bait and switch with the title and instead of being about a feel-good, partying dude it’s about a dude putting a ‘face on’ as a ‘cover’ for how he really feels about the raw emotions of losing the girl in his life. “One Little Kiss (Never Killed Nobody)” reminds me of the feel-good romantic songs from Keith Urban while “Drivin’ All Night” and album closer “Sure Feels Right” sounds like the kind of songs which could’ve been inspired by Jake Owen’s wife (even though he didn’t write it).
As strong as these songs are, there’s one clear track that rises above everything else from the prospective of award-level songwriting and storytelling. That song is “What We Ain’t Got.” It’s the kind of song that used to be stock-and-trade for radio in between the Country come-on’s, pick up trucks and dixie cups but rarely is heard outside of SiriusXM these days. That being said, it could be a massively successful hit for Jake as he sings a lyric (written by Travis Jerome Goff and Travis Meadows) that talks about human nature’s need and want to have stuff we cannot possibly have. It’s the song where Jake gets to showcase the strong baritone voice, with just a haunting steel guitar and piano.
Days Of Gold showcases quite a bit of artistic growth for Jake Owen and an ear for songs which suit him perhaps better than anyone else (even if they feel like something that could be recorded by others in Nashville). That makes the album a great listen from start to finish.
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