Steve Azar : Indianola

Country Music Reviews

Steve Azar : Indianola

Steve Azar is a brilliant singer, a wonderful musician and he has an excellent ear for arrangement. His new album, "Indianola" demonstrates those qualities in spades.

It's a shame, though, that he didn't find someone else to produce the album. Because this otherwise superb collection is let down, not badly, but disastrously, by two tracks which just do not belong!

With a little more thought on track order (and what tracks to dump), this could have been a storming album. That's often where an outside ear, a producer, can really earn his corn.

Azar's production is what let him down (NOT his musical arrangements, not his mixing, not his playing or singing). He needs someone to guide him through production!

On almost every album there's a gem:  here's it's called "Empty Spaces" and it's the diamond glittering on the top of a pile half filled with gems.

Written by Azar and Rafe Van Hoy, this is a deep and reflective song set to an acoustic backing.  

The lyrics are powerful and meaningful; Azar sings it perfectly; the backing with wonderful mandolin runs, gentle banjo picking, sublime bottle-neck guitar and Jo-El Sonnier's gently played accordion adding depth and a little extra atmosphere. 

Second favorite on the album is "The River's Workin'", and again, Azar and Van Hoy are the authors.  This is about life on the delta where Azar spent his younger days. The lyrics paint the picture in some detail, and the broad brushes strokes fill out the background in wide sweeps. Brilliant.

"You Don't Know A Thing" is the best track Azar has released in years. The lyrics (co-written by Azar and Radney Foster) speak of young folks and disillusionment and the truth that in most things, experience is the greatest teacher. Absolutely criminal that, when it was pushed out as a single, it barely showed on radio.

The most astonishing song on the album is "Prelude" (Home). This is Azar (who wrote it) talking about Azar. It's pure acoustic music, brilliant slide guitar, wonderful vocals and - you need to hear it to see how good it is. 

The other highlights are the two hidden tracks, "Mississippi Minute" and "Highway 61". Acoustic numbers recorded at Azar's home, these are brilliant examples of what this guy can do. So why HIDE THEM???

Elsewhere on the album, "I Won't Let You Lead Me Down" has everything a great single needs plus Gary Morse playing some absolutely wonderful dobro. (Read my Full review)

Radney Foster again shares the writing credits on "You're My Life". I'd have kept quiet. Azar's partner knows he thinks she's a cup of coffee, a glass of wine, a set of wheels, and wind. Hope she sticks around. Seriously: it's hackneyed and the music's uninspired.

"Crowded" is blues-heavy Country music. I hate the song. I love what he's trying to do! The title track is one of those 'remembering leaving the small town home to chase dreams' songs. Azar sings it really well but the lyrics aren't as strong as they might be. 

"Still Tryin' To Find My Way Around" is a fairly ordinary Country song, "What's Wrong With Right Now" is an extraordinary pop song while a tough Football coach gives boy the grounding he needs in life in "The Coach".

And so to what should have been left out. Two songs here are, in my often disputed view, rubbish:  "Flatlands" and "Bluetone".

On "Bluetone", Jason Young sings "Second vocals and High Thing".  Sounds to me as though someone's grabbed him by the ..... and he needs putting out of his misery. Keeping it in the mix was a bad mistake!

What happens is that the album has a feel, an atmosphere. It waivers sometimes, but it's there. And then these two tracks gatecrash the event and spoil the party.

If they weren't there, if the album sleeve admitted the presence of those two hidden songs, we'd have a brilliant , value for money 13 track album. Instead, we have a good 15 track album including two dogs!

My View: Steve Azar is a brilliant writer, a wonderful vocalist. Now all he needs is a producer.

What do YOU think?? Tell us here!