Tracy Byrd Returns After 10 Years with “All American Texan” (review)
If I were Tracy Byrd, I wouldn’t have released an album in the last decade either. What would have been the point, just to have it summarily ignored by an industry obsessed with youth and debauchery as some of the best country music voices of our time get shoved out to pasture?
And if I were Tracy Byrd, about right now I would see it as about the perfect moment to release a new record, with the whole upsurge in interest in more traditionally-leaning country and all. In fact some of the managers and money guys that were behind Tracy Byrd in his heyday are the same folks that are now throwing their weight behind major label traditionalist upstart William Michael Morgan. There’s a new hope in old-style country, and many are looking to get on board.
Tracy Byrd may have never reached superstar status, but he accrued a pretty remarkable list of statistics during his mainstream run. Two #1’s, 13 Top 10’s, and a boatload of albums sold in the ten or so years he was signed to major labels. But of course he paid a price with some of his country music credibility to get there. Cheesy country pop songs such as “Lifestyles of the Not So Rich and Famous,” and the notorious “Watermelon Crawl” that many love to cite as the most glaring example of country’s early 90’s line dance craze run amuck leave the legacy of Tracy Byrd a mixed bag. But like some of today’s country stars, Tracy Byrd’s radio singles covered up his more substantive material that still holds up today.
At this point, who cares how many albums Tracy Byrd sells? He’s got plenty of money, and can finally make music for the most important member of his audience: himself.
Tracy Byrd’s All American Texan is self-released, self-promoted, and showed up virtually unannounced after his extended recording hiatus, almost as if Byrd doesn’t care if folks are clued into its existence or not. The album is preceded by virtually no explanation of it, aside from the obvious fact that Byrd took time out of his announced retirement in 2009 to make it. His days of having label managers and producers breathing down his neck are in the past, and now he’s ready to do what he wants, which is apparently to sing a lot about Texas, and a lot about religion.
All American Texan has some really choice cuts on it—arguably some of the best cuts of Tracy Byrd’s career. The opening title track is pure honky tonk country music fun. “Texas Truck” is a breakneck Western Swing song that’s a pretty big hoot too. For those not clued in, Tracy Byrd is originally from Vidor, Texas, and is not afraid to flaunt it. The song “It’s About The Pain” is also receiving considerable buzz from the few that have stumbled onto this album for its staunch take on what a country song should be.
But All American Texan stops a bit short of being a cover to cover quality comeback record similar to what Mark Chesnutt turned in with Tradition Lives earlier this year. Though Tracy Byrd puts his heart into every song, some of the cuts still come off as a bit pedestrian in the writing, even if the record remains solidly country throughout.
On Amazon, the record is slotted in numerous Christian categories, and lumped in with “country” almost as an afterthought. Though I have no qualms with Christian music, and Tracy Byrd can make whatever kind of record he wants, it feels like All American Texan is a mix of a secular and religious effort, which creates a bit of clashing of content in the end. There’s a reason country artists have always kept religious and secular records separate, aside from maybe a religious song or two on an otherwise non-religious record. All American Texas is a good example of why that’s probably a good idea. The mentions of God and Jesus are fine, but some of the preachy-ness feels out of place.
Those who’ve been waiting patiently for the triumphant return to Tracy Byrd will find plenty to be happy about in All American Texan, while others will have their dug-in opinions about how he was part of the problem with country in the 90’s validated. Though you may have to pick and choose through this one, it’s still good to hear some solid cuts from a familiar country music name.
1 1/2 Guns Up (6.5/10)
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October 19, 2016 @ 8:17 am
Well, just hearing that elusive, almost mythical steel guitar gets me quite excited. The world needs more steel guitar.
October 19, 2016 @ 9:04 am
Album aside, have you seen him live lately? His guitar playing stands out, he’s not just plinking and tapping his guitar, he’s playing the hell out of it, and it’s out front in the mix, his voice is strong and tough. He looks like the real deal, almost like he’s hungry. It’s obvious that he missed performing and is back with a vengeance.
October 19, 2016 @ 9:44 am
I just saw him at a flood relief concert in Baton Rouge. He still got it.
October 19, 2016 @ 9:05 am
I don’t know what the music is like, but that album cover is enough to give me nightmares.
October 19, 2016 @ 9:31 am
“… if that ain’t country, well boys you can kiss my ass.” – Hank III
That’s a real country sound there. Love it.
On another note, I know “Lifestyles of the Not So Rich and Famous” and “Watermelon Crawl” were not cerebral masterpieces, but they were pretty darn fun. Country has a history of silly comedy that shouldn’t be tossed aside. After all, laughter is the best medicine.
October 19, 2016 @ 10:12 am
If “Watermelon Crawl” was a problem, then the people of the 90’s had it great and I love “Watermelon Crawl.”
Silly comedy songs belong in country music.
October 19, 2016 @ 10:14 am
That’s a darn fine song right there.
October 19, 2016 @ 10:34 am
Tracy Byrd was one of the 90’s stars that I never had much of an opinion on one way or the other. I was really into Alan, George, Tritt, Black, Kershaw, Tracy Lawrence, Brooks and Dunn, Chestnutt. Guys like Tracy Byrd, Clay Walker, John Michael Montgomery, eh, I could take ’em or leave ’em, but they all had some solid cuts along with some goofy singles.
I really like the posted track, though, and I’m always glad to see these folks still making music. It would be great to see some of these folks make a little resurgence at the same time that WM Morgan and Mo Pitney are on the rise.
October 19, 2016 @ 3:44 pm
I’ve had one or two people throw the opinion that Mark Chestnutt was something special my way and I just don’t get it. To me, he was one of those take ’em or leave ’em guys that you mentioned. Hell, I’d FORGOTTEN which songs he sang until I dug out my copy of his Greatest Hits album a few months ago, and they’ve left me again. I like his material, but his voice is generic and really doesn’t stand out to me. Still, take ’em or leave ’em by ’90s standards is the kind of stuff you want a triple helping of these days.
October 22, 2016 @ 8:44 pm
I think Mark is a great vocalist and embodies that Texan honky tonk spirit George Jones had in the start of his career. Many of his albums since 2000 have been particularly solid since he got free of his record label. I think Mark picks good songs to sing and is consistent in what he does. Mark and Dale Watson are two guys I can listen to all day and enjoy all of their albums.
October 19, 2016 @ 2:43 pm
The oldest home movie of me is listening to Tracy Byrd on CMT so I have always enjoyed his tunes. I saw him at a show early this year and he still is awesome. Anxious to check this out a bit closer!!
October 19, 2016 @ 3:25 pm
Interesting note, Tracy Byrd recently went to an American Aquarium concert and met the band. Don’t know if he is a fan or was just checking them out, but still cool nonetheless!
October 19, 2016 @ 3:39 pm
Pretty sure I saw something a while back on twitter about him going to a Sturgill show, too.
October 19, 2016 @ 4:12 pm
I always liked T-Byrd, myself, particularly his sense of humor. At times it can be cringe-worthy, if not downright damaging (I can’t tell you how much it sickens me that “Watermelon Crawl” is one of his most enduring hit songs in the modern day, even if I don’t hate it), but he has a great voice and his music was always country. All of these ’90s performers cropping back up after extended hiatuses gives me hope that Ricky Van Shelton may give us a new record at some point. But Ricky’s last one was in 2000, a fair amount of time before folks like Byrd and Chesnutt took breaks, so we can assume that his issues were much more entrenched than some others (I hear he asked out of his contract with Columbia in the mid ’90s as he was not keen on the new styles of the era).
October 19, 2016 @ 5:28 pm
Through re-watching old episodes of The George Jones Show on Youtube I’ve been developing a fondness or nostalgia for these 90’s guys that had all but disappeared by the mid-2000’s. I’m enjoying this trend of them releasing albums on smaller labels as of late (Tracy Lawrence, Mark Chesnutt, Clint Black to name a few).
October 20, 2016 @ 4:32 am
It’s about time, his last record of the 90’s, has always been one of my favorites and was one of the best albums of that decade. He had so many great songs on his albums you can make one hell of a play list. I don’t worry so much about some of his campier hits, they were part of the time and I don’t remember anyone complaining about them then. I absolutely will pick up this album! Thank god some of these guys are making an appearance again.
October 21, 2016 @ 4:34 pm
Was that the one with “Take Me With You When You Go”? That’s about the only album of his I thought was really good.
October 20, 2016 @ 4:32 am
Thanks once gain for cluing us into another release I had no idea about!
October 20, 2016 @ 7:52 am
Loved the last one, Different Things…and it was a shame the title track and Cheapest Motel ( entered the top 40 but never gained traction) which was one of my favorite songs about the consequences of cheating, never made top ten or 20 like they should have…and this was 06 when Jackson and Strait were still having hit after hit. Its a shame alot of what hes remembered for is the cornier stuff because he had one of the top voices of the 90s and he damn sure blows anybody on the charts away voice wise.
October 24, 2016 @ 5:26 pm
Yeah, Cheapest Motel was a great song!
October 20, 2016 @ 1:34 pm
“True Country Music is a WHITE mans blues”??? WTF??? He had me until that line………
October 20, 2016 @ 6:19 pm
White man’s blues is something I have heard many times. Not in a song. Just in a documentary sort of way. I have no prob with that considering how country n blues pretty much come from the same place.
October 20, 2016 @ 6:37 pm
Referring to country music as “white man’s blues” is long standing, and it has nothing to do with racial bias. I do not know the origin of the expression, but you can find it easily in reference to the early country pioneers, such as Jimmie Rodgers, Roy Acuff, and Hank Williams Sr. I could easily imagine a black artist referring to authentic country music as “white man’s blues” — as an expression of respect, not animosity.
October 21, 2016 @ 9:37 am
When I think of the Byrd I think of the “Watermelon Crawl” which I never seem to remember how to line to dance to at country club. I’m digging this album. Thanks for the news.
What’s so offensive saying white man’s blues? You’re such a snowflake. I agree, expression of respect, not animosity.
October 21, 2016 @ 6:52 pm
heard walking to jerusalem in a bar the other night and it reminded me how much i liked his music but hadn’t heard him in a long time
what i’ve heard of the new album is pretty good
November 28, 2016 @ 8:43 pm
And don’t forget about the album Ten rounds which in my opinion was his best album. The guy still has it with this new album and has that 90s nostalgia that we all enjoyed as that Neo country Classic sound.
July 6, 2018 @ 3:37 am
Tracy Byrd. I just seen Tracy in Concert.knows how to entertain his audience. Every song on his albums are great. If you don’t see him Concert Your missing out!