Album Review: Corb Lund - Losin' Lately Gambler

Well, here is a new feature at ATS, an actual album review. You know normally I don't like doing these for a couple of reasons. 1. My writing sucks, and 2. what's the old adage writing about music is like dancing for quiet...err architecture...something like that. You see the way I feel is this is the internet baby....multimedia is at our fingertips, so why write about music when you can post a song or vid (or my preference, a live show) and let the music speak for itself.

Well I think the music does need to speak for itself, but it also never hurts if somebody wants to help it along. Besides, sometimes I like to dress up and play music blogger on the internet (don't make me start posting pics of my record collection again!)

On to the review, this is one of my most anticipated releases of the year when I first heard of it. I actually first heard of it from the man's mouth himself. You see I just happened to be in Nashville on business the same week Corb and the Hurtin' Albertans were in town recording this album. A tip from a friend led me to check out The Basement (and Grimey's, a great record store) and I find out Corb and the boys were putting on a free show there. I was so excited, I actually showed up early at the Basement and was mistaken for either a roadie or another performer :-P. So after all the confusion (to quote Doug Sahm "Lawd I'm Just A Country Boy In This Great Big Freaky City"), Corb and the Hurtin' Albertans put on a great great show, as Corb joked it was their "live rehearsal" as they started recording the following morning. And that's when I found out about this album. So you can see why I was anticipating it so much.

The album did not let me down upon first hearing it, and it's not getting old with each subsequent listen either....it just keeps filling my ears with canadian country rock goodness. Oh yeah, perhaps I should have mentioned that, for those unfamiliar with him, Corb has been doing his thing in Canada for years now (and he has the awards to prove it). Actually if I'm not mistaken this is his 6th album, and his first on a major American label (New West). That hopefully means Corb will be getting the support, publicity, and distribution he deserves outside of Canada. I truly hope this is his breakout album (much like Trouble In Mind was Hayes Carll's breakout album)...and I don't see why not...it's a damn fine album. Full of themes that longtime Corb fans will recognize and new ones will certainly enjoy. Those themes include gamblin', ranchin', Canada, drinkin', twangin' guitar, slap bass, and an irreverent sense of humor.

The album starts out with the first of 2 songs on this album about vetrinarians (he joked he was going to call this album Horse Doctor! Horse Doctor!) called Horse Doctor Come Quick. A song about trying to score drugs off a vet, a subject Corb said was "ripe for exploration" among songwriters. Next up is the Steer Rider's Blues, a pretty straightforward rodeo song about a young man who'd rather be at the rodeo than school. The third song is the first single off the album called A Game In Town Like This. This song features probably my favorite line of any song on the album (and also where the album earns it's title) "I'm a losin' lately gambler but that's not all I've ever been/Cuttin' back your losses is just another way to win". This song reveals itself more and more with each listen, and I am now convinced it is a masterpiece.

Next is the ballad Alberta Says Hello. Guitarist Grant Siemens lays down some tasty and well placed mournful b-bender licks on this one. Up next is the second vetrinarian song Talking Vetrinarian Blues which is a classic Corb Lund song similar to Truck Got Stuck. In this song Corb relays tales and advice from his father (who is an actual vet), such as always get paid...cash money. Next up is a western swing called It's Hard To Keep A White Shirt Clean (For Willie P. Bennett). Willie P. Bennett is a Canadian folk legend who passed on last year and is responsible for influencing Corb and many other Canadian artists (such as Fred Eaglesmith, Blackie and The Rodeo Kings, Blue Rodeo, etc...).

The next song is the twang fest Long Gone To Saskatchewan. A tounge in cheek lament on leaving the rising cost of living in Alberta for the more rural Saskatchewan. Up next is the Marty Robbins-esque gunfighter ballad called The Devil's Best Dress. The twist, it's about a female gunfighter. Up next is my favorite song they played back in June. It's called The Only Long Rider I Know and man I love this song...just listen to the sample down below. After that is the song Chinook Wind, which sounds like it could be a Kristofferson song backed by Waylon and the Waylors. After that is This Is My Prairie, a song that could be at home on any Chris Knight album, and one of the best on this album. Finally, the album closes with a rollicking live version of Corb's now standard Time To Switch To Whiskey....a great way to end the album that makes you just want to listen to it all over again.

Album will hit stores on Sept. 29th, in the mean time catch him live if you can. He's coming back to Nashville, then on to Texas starting next month

Corb Lund - A Game In Town Like This (Link Removed)

Corb Lund - Only Long Rider I Know (Link Removed) Stream the sample tracks here