Dierks Bentley’s NEW ALBUM – ‘Long Trip Alone’

What seems like took forever – Dierks fans have a new album today! Let me sum this album up in one sentence. Get this damn CD! Bottom-line if you dig ‘Modern Day Drifter’ you’ll dig ‘Long Trip Alone’. This album feels like it picks up where MDD left off. Not only does it pick up where MDD left off but improves on it. The actual sound quality of LTA is well produced, thought out and balanced. What also pleases me is that this album is rockin…very few songs are slow and sappy. The few songs that are ‘slow’ songs are good ones. The title track ‘Long Trip Alone’ is a great love song arranged nicely. Dierks sounds a little different in this song…mainly in the chorus. I dig it. We’ll see this one on the charts.

In Dierks typical fashion there are plenty of songs that rock. Specifically, ‘Free And Easy Down The Road I Go’. Driving bass drums, steel and banjo lead this song. The song feels like it’s ‘rollin’ along and you’re taken the ride. How can you not dig a song with the lyrics, “Ragweeds rockin on the radio…”. This track reminds me of MMD’s ‘Lot OF Leavin Left To Do’.

‘Hope For Me Yet’ sounds the most like MDD to me. This is a good thing. We like MDD and why break something that is not broke? Of course we’d like to see our artists grow and bring it a little different but something feels good about the way Dierks is delivering with familiarity on the Long Trip Alone.

I’m finding that several songs have a bit of a militant snare roll to them. One of the songs that start that way is ‘The Heaven I’m Headed To’. It’s almost like a march but fades after the first chorus. This is a refreshing song to say the least. It’s a nice medium tempo song that doesn’t break any arrangement ‘rules’ but the lyrics are what keep this one top of mind. The song is basically about how some people believe that only the best will make it to Heaven. But the reality is that everyone makes it to Heaven. “…In the book that I’ve been readin. It sounds to me like theres a lot of room. So, I bet some folks are gonna be surprised, about who makes it to the other side. ‘Cause in the Heaven I’m headed to, theres a place for preachers, theives and prostitutes. Saints and soliders, beggers, Kings and renegades…”

It’s getting difficult to determine what song is my favorite. One song that I really like is ‘Soon as You Can’. This song sounds the most traditional country to me. When I say traditional I mean along the lines of George Strait. I can hear George singing this one. Listen to it, you’ll hear what I mean. This is a good song about not being able to get to the one you love fast enough. Getting pulled over by the police for driving too fast because “there ain’t no where of getting there too fast”. Good song.

There is a little bluegrass on the album too. ‘Prodigal Son’s Prayer’ has the militant drum roll too but it is clearly a bluegrass tune. Heavy banjo and fiddle lead this song. What is interesting is the chorus in the middle of the song. The backup singers are humming. You have to hear it to understand. It really sounds kind of ‘Heavenly’ in a bluegrassy way.

There are so many good songs on the album all I can say is buy the damn thing. Support the artist.

Dierks knows how to keep it real and give props where props are deserved (Ragweed). He wrote or co-wrote every song on the album. So no, Dierks is not just a pretty boy who can sing. We like this.

It takes a few times listening to the new album to get used to the songs but after a few times hearing them you find yourself singing along…and that’s a good measure of a good album.

– Doc