3. March 2025
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Media Review

Dwight Yoakam – Brighter Days

Florian Buechtingby Florian Buechting

Dwight Yoakam - Brighter Days

Dwight Yoakam - Brighter Days
4.7

Rating

 4.7/5

Flyctory.com Pros

  • Beautiful traditional sounds
  • Lovely arrangements
  • Very fluent listen

Dwight Yoakam is a true country music legend, looking back to twenty already released studio album. After a hiatus of eight years, he is back with the album Brighter Days. I had a listen to this 15th November 2024 release.

 

Dwight Yoakam – About The Artist

Dwight David Yoakam is a US-American country singer, born on 23rd October 1956 in Pikeville, Kentucky. He started to release country music albums in 1986, when his debut Guitars, Cadillacs, Etc., Etc. lead the US Country Charts and finally became a double platinum album. His discography is impressing, most of his studio albums made it into the US Country Album Top 10. Dwight is a two time Grammy Award winner.

 

Dwight Yoakam – Brighter Days – Track by Track

The 14 track album lasts 55 minutes.

1. Wide Open Heart

The first 3:46 minutes of the album belong to Wide Open Heart. The kick-off track combines rock’n’roll vibes with a nice country-Americana flavor. The sound of the song is rather rough and direct, but the song also features a nice and catching melody, which is definitely enjoyable.

2. I’ll Pay The Price

Already the first notes of I’ll Pay The Price tell you that this one is gonna a be rather traditional country track. The track cannot deny a certain corny spirit. Nonetheless, it is nicely written and hits its vibes on the spot. And somehow, this sound also has a very laid-back and relaxed touch.

3. Bound Away

Dwight Yoakam is presenting a Cake cover as the third song of his album. Despite the song is as of 2011, it continues the rather traditional style of the predecessor. The song feels like a perfect match and works out very nicely.

4. California Sky

With just over five minutes, California Sky is the longest listen on Brighter Days. Melodically, this one could be a track by The Eagles, but the instrumentation and vocl arrangement feels very rich. This is one of the key factors that the song is very entertaining and does not feel lengthy. I really enjoy listening to this one.

Under a California Sky
So blue it never has to lie
There ain’t no need to wonder why
’Cause that sky
Whoa yeah that sky
It don’t ever lie

5. Can’t Be Wrong

The fifth song Can’t Be Wrong is heading back towards the country-rock’n’roll style of the opener. Thereby, Can’t Be Wrong catches you with its intense rhythm and its nice speed. It feels hard avoiding to move to the beat of this track.

6. I Spell Love

I spell love
L-O-V-U

Yeah, the vibes of I Spell Love again combine traditional country and rock’n’roll elements. However, the song is much slower, driven by a strumming acoustic guitar. If Can’t Be Wrong was a wild and fast mustang trip, this is rather an easy, relaxed ride. Lean back – and enjoy the very emotional vibes of this track.

7. A Dream That Never Ends

The seventh song reminds me of typical 1960’s music. You might think about bands like The Byrds while listening to Dwight Yoakam. The Kentucky-origin artist still leaves a mark in this listen, so that you won’t think he is pushing too hard to turn back times.

8. Brighter Days

The title track of the album is an four minute listen. If you are a country music traditionalist, you will listen to this one with a fascinated smile. And you might ask yourself why Yoakam took such a long break before releasing his record. The song comes with a surprising ending – I won’t tell you more, though.

9. I Don’t Know How To Say Goodbye (Bang Bang Boom Boom) (with Post Malone)

This collaboration with Post Malone was definitely the focus track and engine of the Brighter Days promotion campaign. The song comes with a lovely Yoakam signature, the duet-style of the song and the lyrics add a lovely ease. Thus, you can simply relax and enjoy this track, which again comes with a nice of instrumental ideas.

10. If Only

Not as rocking as some of the songs before, but If Only pushes quite a lot and comes with a cool melody. This energy is also a key reason why the song does not allow you to feel it might be outdated.

11. Hand Me Down Heart

Brighter Days now shares a rather slow, ballad-style song. Hand Me Down Heart has a lovely (stereo)typical country sound, with present organ chords and a howling steel guitar. The backing vocals are a bit of kitschy, but that feels to be a nice fit to the overall atmosphere of the song.

12. Time Between

There is not too much time for romantic feelings. The drums of Time Between tell you that this one is another rather uptempo and rhythmic song. The track especially impresses on the instrumental side, where nice episodes of the fiddle and guitar lines create a nice bedding for the vocals and the story of the song.

Through love and trust it’s gonna work out fine
The only pain I feel is all this time between
You and me

13. Keep On The Sunny Side

The second cover on the album is Keep On The Sunny Side, which has been released by The Carter Family in 1928. However, the American traditional has in fact been written by Ada Blenkhorn in 1899. More than a century back in country music – but the interpretation by Dwight Yoakam does not feel old at all. I enjoy listening to the rhythmic style of this classic.

14. Every Night

Last, but not least, there is Every Night. The 3:34 minute track concludes Brighter Days. It feels like Dwight Yoakam wants you to conclude the listen with positive and happy feelings. The bold, partially stomping rhythm and the bassy groove definitely ensures you are moving to the beat of the chucker-out.

 

Dwight Yoakam – Brighter Days – Spotify

Here is the album on Spotify:

 

Dwight Yoakam – Brighter Days – My View

Yeah, Brighter Days is a rather traditional listen – but it is fun. Dwight Yoakam releases an album, which feels like a strong contrast to modern country music. But if you allow the vibes and the stories of the record to hit your sould, you will have a really nice time with these 14 tracks. I absolutely enjoyed it.

Favorite Song: California Sky

 

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