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Media Review

Charley Crockett – Welcome To Hard Times

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Charley Crockett - Welcome To Hard Times

Charley Crockett - Welcome To Hard Times
3.7

Rating

 3.7/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Catching voice and nice stories
  • Nice mix of blues, rock and country elements

Flyctory.com Cons

  • After three really good tracks, a touch of being average

Eight albums since May 2015 – Charley Crockett is definitely not a singer-songwriter who is tired of publishing music. The eighth album of this series of records (and his eighth album overall is Welcome To Hard Times, released on 31st July 2020. Here is my review.

Charley Crockett – About The Artist

Charley Crockett was born in 1984 in San Benito, Texas. He is indeed a distant relative of Davy Crockett. The family moved to Dallas quite soon after Crockett’s birth. At the age of 17, he decided to travel around the States with his guitar. He was writing his own songs from the very beginning. Even though nowadays, he is doing a mixture of blues and country, he also has been influenced by hip hop in his younger years. After having some legal trouble for possessing cannabis, he finally released his debut album, A Stolen Jeweil, in May 2015. While his first three albums did not lead to chart placements, the 2018 Lonesome as a Shadow made it the the fourteenth spot of the US Heat charts. The following album, Lil G.L.’s Blue Bonanza, also made it to the US Blues charts.

 

Charley Crockett – Welcome To Hard Times – Track by Track

The 13 track album lasts 41 minutes.

1. Welcome To Hard Times

The album starts with the title track. Very traditional sound, very present vocals – a way of storytelling, which just makes you listen. Nice one to start the album with.

2. Run Horse Run

The second track is significantly more rhythmic and also quicker. The light drum play makes you want to move. Nice one!

3. Don’t Cry

Don’t Cry is the third of three tracks at the start of the album, which Charley Crockett already released before 31st July 2020. The song is rhythmic, but still feels very much like a ballad. A strong touch of bluegrass in it as well. The best of the three songs at the beginning to me.

4. Tennessee Special

Tennessee Special nicely connects in its sound to the song before. I have to admit, though, that I feel that Crockett is a bit unprecise in his voice here and there in this song.

5. Fool Somebody Else

Fool Somebody Else has a strong touch of blues. Crockett’s strong weapons in music are his storytelling and this amazing, deep, full voice. Love to listen to him – even if he is sometimes rather narrating than singing his stories.

6. Lilly My Dear

A rather slow track to sway. Feels a bit like a typical western movie saloon song to me.I leave it up to you to judge on it…

7. Wreck Me

Wreck Me is very slow and melancholic. Even the steel guitar is squeaking sadly to the story. The depression just lasts a bit less than 2:30 minutes, though.

8. Heads You Win

Heads You win // Tails I loose – the track is definitely more lively than the song before. A nice song, in which I also love the vocals very much.

9. Rainin’ in My Heart

The ninth song of the album rather feels like a blues-rock track. Really love to listen to it, it is definitely one of my favorites on this album. Nice groove as well.

10. Paint It Blue

Paint It Blue definitely stays in the blues genre. The track just does not touch me as much as the track before.The track becomes stronger to me towards the end.

11. Blackjack County Chain

A monotonous rhythm, some guitars and the story. Impressive songs can be very easily. Blackjack County Chain is one of those.

12. The Man That Time Forgot

These kind of tracks even have a touch of the slower tracks of Elvis Presley to me. Crockett’s voice is just so good – hard not to listen to him.

13. The Poplar Tree

The album finishes with a bit of a happier mood. Definitely one of the best songs of the thirteen tracks is coming at their end. Cool!

Charley Crockett – Welcome To Hard Times – Spotify

Here is the Spotify widget to the album:

 

Charley Crockett – Welcome To Hard Times – My View

Welcome To Hard Times starts very promising – and the mixture of blues, country and rock is definitely unique and catching – on top of Crockett’s amazing voice. Finally, the remaining songs do not make the album a top one, but it is definitely a nice collection of songs and stories – and Crockett’s fans will love it!

 

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