Album Review – Drake Milligan’s “Tumbleweed”

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Neotraditional country (#510.8) and traditional country (#510) on the Country DDS.

With a solid country gold voice, a Sun Records-era swagger, a knack for entertaining lyrics, and the right instincts to deploy all these assets on the type of classic ’90s country that’s currently the rage with fans young and old, Drake Milligan isn’t just ready to follow the neotraditional country resurgence, he’s ready to lead it. With his new album Tumbleweed, the former Elvis actor on the Sun Records TV series makes it two for two with quality albums that rekindle the timeless sounds of true country.

If we’re being honest, the 27 year old had us a touch worried when the lead single and eventual title track of Tumbleweed was released. Not terrible, but clearly tooled by the greasy hands of those who attempt to peddle tracks to commercial radio listeners, it had us wondering if one of our favorite little neotraditionalists might be persuaded to the dark side by the often empty promises of a big #1s and a handsome payday.

But rest assured, Tumbleweed is everything you want from a Drake Milligan album, meaning up-temp boot scooters, sappy tearjerkers, winsome love songs, and plenty of fiddle and steel guitar thanks to the buy-in to a traditional country approach by producer Trent Willmon, famous for keeping Cody Johnson sounding country all these years.

Drake Milligan is definitely a name you want to be inclusive to when listing off the young artist bringing back the greatness of ’90s neotraditional country like Zach Top and Jake Worthington. But instead of simply laying down in that stereotypical and sometimes trite ’90s country groove and offering no wiggle room or variety, Tumbleweed explores and illustrates the full range of traditional-inspired country in its 14 tracks.



Originally from the Dallas/Fort Worth area (his first album was called Dallas/Fort Worth), Millgan shows off his Texas roots nicely with the lead fiddle and Bob Wills caterwauling on the track “Talk Texas.” “Hard Headed Cowboy” is a decidedly Western tune. And along with the title track, “Turn It Off” has a bit more of a contemporary flavor to lure in that portion of the country audience, without compromising on the steel guitar and roots.

Where Drake Milligan really shines is when a song allows him to show off the natural, unforced swagger he brings to country music. Songs like “Cryin’ Shoulder” and “Girl Like You” give off almost Dwight Yoakam-level coolness vibes, while “Hearts Together” reminds you of the best of the ’90s sound of the Mavericks with the accordion. There’s a passion that Milligan expresses through his music that is feverish, infectious, and uncommon.

Drake co-writes 11 of the album’s 14 tracks, and says he hand selected these songs to speak to his experiences on the road over the last few years playing a whopping 300 tour dates. But similar to what we’ve seen with Cody Johnson and producer Trent Willmon, the focus is not on having Milligan co-write everything. It’s to select the best songs that fit his style, work well together, and emphasize Drake Milligan’s strengths as opposed to contorting him into something he isn’t, like a country radio star.

Why is Zach Top all the rage at the moment, but Drake Milligan is still batting lead off at some festivals and performing in mid-sized rooms? Who knows. But Milligan makes it hard not to root for him with Tumbleweed. It’s just one of those enjoyable, cover to cover listening records that may not venture too deep, but also never makes you feel silly for listening, and is proud to keep it country.

8.2/10

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