Absolute Blue Collar Twang

Aaron Tippin is hard-core country. His raw, ear-jarring twang often sounds like a howling coyote. Yet Tippin has found a successful niche in country music by consistently relating to working class values on his best singles (most of which he also wrote). All of those very best cuts are found on this thirteen-track collection - along with a few also-rans.

"Working Man's Ph.D." and "I Got It Honest" take a proud stance on manual labor. "You've Got To Stand For Something" and "I Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way" celebrate sticking to one's beliefs and doing the right thing no matter where you come from. Tippin also appeals to his less-than -wealthy core audience through humor on "There Ain't Nothing Wrong With The Radio". This novelty number depicts the car from hell which an upbeat Tippin won't unload, due to its lone remaining sonic asset.

Tippin even fits some romantic songs into his repertoire (usually of the unsuccessful at love type). The honky tonkin' "My Blue Angel" finds Tippin yodelling about a lost love he's still searching for, while in the straight forward ballad That's As Close As I'll Get To Loving You," he pines for a girl he can never have. When Tippin does finally get the girl in a song, it turns out...he has to answer "The Call Of The Wild."

The ... and then some in the album title refers to the four new tracks which you never heard on a radio station near you since Tippin had parted company with RCA (who subsequently didn't give them a promotional push). Too bad, since a couple of the tunes are vintage Tippin. "The Door" uses typical Tippin metaphors like a hammer, saw, and hard work to construct the tale of a struggling relationship whose inhabitants need a little space, while the atmospheric "Cold Gray Kentucky Morning" revisits the lost love angle.

You won't find a lot of emotional depth on this collection. Tippin seeks foremost to entertain his listeners and, within the confines of his working man persona, he usually succeeds. If you are in the mood for some country music that's festive and you don't mind a lotta twang, give this set a try.

A Different Kind of Country

Aaron Tippin has one heck of a unique voice, and is a very talented performer. His song lyrics are always from the heart, and one can tell he lives by his own rules. I know people who don't like country who like Aaron Tippin. Stand-out tracks on this album include "My Blue Angel," "You've Got to Stand for Something," "Working Man's PH.D," and "Whole Lotta Love on the Line." Give this CD a try....it's well worth it.

Up there with the best

When I first listened to this CD I was reminded of everything I hated about Country Music, back when "twang was the thang" and all songs promoted feelings of suicide. However, this album walks a great middle line between "classic country", and "new American music" - and I have to say does so very well. From the cow call balladeering of Blue Angel to a masterful cover of You have to stand for something. This is the kind of music you can play loud or incidental, a good all round album, with something for everyone. Sadly most New Country in England is unavailable or overpriced unless it is deemed mainstream. This Album is a great introduction to Aaron's extensive vocal and musical range, standing shoulder to shoulder with many of todays other artists, and deserves a wider audience.