Jason Matthews : Hicotine

Country Music Reviews

Jason Matthews : Hicotine

In between, it keeps the grey matter working with a sprinkling of bald political sideswipes.

If this album proves anything, it is that one of America's top songwriters has what it takes to be one of it's top performers too!  

Many of you will already have Matthews' name on CDs you own and yet you never knew. That's because songwriters rarely merit more than ludicrously tiny italic print credits despite the fact that they create the songs which make the stars famous!

As Patrick Jason Matthews, this guy's written several top hits including Billy Currington's smash, "Must Be Doin' Something Right", Julie Roberts' "Break Down Here" and Tammy Cochran's "Life Happened".

Now his names in great big type on the front cover. About time, I say.

I first heard these songs early in 2007, when one of Jason's "people" (sorry, Max) handed me a copy of "The Red Album". He told me that this would be Matthews' debut album if Matthews "ever gets around to deciding the track order".

Well, the track order's the same though one song's been replaced by another; the inlay's now got the lyrics on it; they've put the 'T' back into "slighest" (sic) and it's very red inside - unlike the blank single sheet which came with "The Red Album".

It DOES carry a tongue in cheek health warning (selective memory loss, buying pick-up trucks, beer drinking and partying), but there's no mention of the truly addictive nature of the music.

Favorite song, by some distance, is "It's A Good Thing". Matthews - who co wrote it with Jim Richey - doesn't mince his words as he puts the boot in to a wide range of folks who (evidently) displease him. The bridge says it all:

                   "Wife beaters, rich preachers, pedophile school teachers;
                   "All you dang drug dealers, listen up.
                   "Enron, Worldcom, we're tired of bein' stepped on."

Close second is "The Education Of A Wandering Man", which is - musically - the most rounded song on the album.  There is a wonderful moment in the second half of the bridge where the melody wraps itself right around the chords and turns itself inside out, arriving back at just the right place at just the right moment. It's hard to describe - musicians out there will understand.

The lead off single "That's What Mamas Do" is brilliant.  It's way better than most of the Nashpop flooding the charts these days, and it deserves every success.

But I can't decide whether this is Matthews painting an idealistic picture of what he thinks mothers should be or whether he believes this is what mothers are. If it's the latter, I have to say (from sadly personal, damaging and hurtful experience) that it's not always the case!

"Plain Ol' Pain" is, for me, the perfect "plain" Country song. George Strait would have done well to check this one out before he selected the tracks for his new album, "Troubadour". Including this would have meant there was at least one top class track on the new album.

"The Slightest Whisper Of You" is one of the best love songs you'll hear this year. On the verses, it's just Matthews and an acoustic guitar. Here the vocals are deeply tender and personal without being mushy.

When it breaks out into the chorus, the power is mixed deep down so you feel it rather than have your ears blown away by it. SUPERB!

I recall thinking "Live from America (It's Saturday Night)" was not one of best tracks when I first heard it last year. But hearing it again, I find it's instantly familiar and as Matthews knows, THAT'S what makes hit songs!

Matthews is in gentle mood again on "Evening All Afternoon" - the new inclusion on the final collection. The vocals are superb and the acoustic guitar work is sensational.

On "The Rapture" Matthews shows what  a fine vocalist he is. Co-written with Melissa Pierce, this is one of the most moving songs I've heard in a long time. So much so that I can only invite you to hear it. That way you'll understand it!

"Make Sure You Get May Name Right" is a brilliant piece of observational writing about the music industry and how the tabloid press seldom really hurts superstars.

As the "star" in the song prepares to play to 10,000 fans at his next gig, he sings:
                   "I read in People, I'm datin' Paris Hilton,
                   "Y'all keep on writin', you're makin' me a killin'".  

The one song folks might recognise here is "Honky Tonk History" which Travis Tritt used as the title track for an album. I have to say, I prefer Matthews' version. But heck, he co wrote it! It's the best of the Country rock on the album.

"Hicotine" is a wonderfully lyrical rocker, "Absolutely!" sounds like something Toby Keith would churn out (only much, much better) and "People Like Me" is the kind of music folks love dancing to at Country bars across America.

What this album shows is that Patrick Jason Matthews has been keeping his light hid way too long.


My View:  We already knew he was one of America's best songwriters.  Now we know he is one of it's best vocalists too.

What do YOU think?? Tell us here!