Album Review – Dwight Yoakam’s “Brighter Days”

#510.7 (Classic California Country) on the Country DDS.
Alan Jackson might have more album sales. George Strait might own more #1 singles. But nobody is as cool as Dwight Yoakam. Nobody. That is why stats aside, Dwight doesn’t give up ground to anybody aside from maybe Willie and Dolly when it comes to the depth charts of living country legends. Country music has always been cool. But Dwight Yoakam was the guy who boot scooted, strutted, crooned, and yodeled his way into convincing millions of new converts to this truth.
Nearly ten years have passed since Dwight graced us with an original album. You could deduce he decided to take the Bro-Country era off, but the truth is probably a little more complex than that. A dispute with his long time record label Warner Bros. saw Dwight’s debut album Guitars Cadillacs Etc. Etc. pulled on streaming services for over a year, and probably helped put Yoakam’s priorities elsewhere. It also might have impinged on his ability to release new music.
An important life event also might have delayed things. Though Yoakam spent decades being one of country music’s most eligible bachelors and dating A-listers like Sharon Stone and Karen Duffy, he married Emily Joyce in May of 2020, and the couple had Dwight’s first child in August 2020. All of a sudden a guy whose stock-in-trade since the mid ’80s was heartbreak had a different perspective on life, one he shared in a teary moment recently accepting an Americana lifetime achievement award.
This shift in priorities comes through in the writing and approach of Dwight’s new album Brighter Days. He’s no longer employing his caramel voice on compositions about nursing broken hearts, getting payback on past lovers, or loafing on lonely streets. He’s positively rosy on this record, even recording a version of the old traditional tune “Keep On The Sunny Side.” On the title track, he’s joined by his 4-year-old son as a duet partner at the end. This is truly a kinder, gentler side of Dwight than we’ve ever heard.

Coinciding with this thematic switch is also a concerted and obvious change in style. Brighter Days is much less twangy, and much more melodic. It’s less indicative of the Bakersfield Sound with hot steel and Telecaster licks, and more reminiscent of classic California country with melodic notions and jangle pop sounds. It’s more Santa Monica than San Joaquin. Instead of relying on those moans and yodels, Yoakam leans into stacked harmony lines and “ohhs” and “ahhs.”
Though you can’t help but be happy for Dwight Yoakam’s change of attitude and perspective, it’s fair to say this new album presents some challenges to his established classic country fan base. Of course, Yoakam’s approach has always been out-of-step with whatever the rest of country is shuffling to, starting from his cowpunk beginnings in Los Angeles. But more than anything, the Kentucky native was always a neotraditionalist at heart.
The self-produced Brighter Days sometimes just feels a little thin, like it’s mixed in mono. This longest song “California Sky” sounds almost like Brit pop, while the bell sounds in “If Only” feel like the early arrival of a Christmas carol. The twangiest moment on the album is Dwight’s collaboration with Post Malone on “I Don’t Know How To Say Goodbye.” Yoakam’s vocal acuity might have never been sharper, and 68 years of hard living hasn’t tarnished it one iota. But Dwight so outmatches Posty, it distracts from an otherwise excellent song.
One moment you hope doesn’t go underrated is the song “Can’t Be Wrong.” Where some of the album feels a bit too ordered and clean, this is a live take that really captures the essence of Dwight. Brighter Days is not bad, it’s just different, because Dwight is different. This is Dwight the dad. This is Dwight the husband. This is Dwight at 68 who did his time in honky tonk hell, and is now basking in hillbilly heaven.
7.4/10
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November 18, 2024 @ 8:45 am
Album is much better than a 7.4 in my opinion. I love it. Long live Dwight.
November 18, 2024 @ 8:53 am
Dwight needs to be in the HoF.
November 18, 2024 @ 8:57 am
Saw him in Tuscaloosa last month. Incredible show. Played one hit after another for an hour and a half.
November 18, 2024 @ 9:02 am
I dig it. A lot of melodies hang around in my head when I’m not listening to it, especially the title track.
November 19, 2024 @ 12:35 pm
I’m 67 years old, brenda, tons of concerts in my lifetime. In the one person left. I would love to see again and again. Is Dwight yoakam. It’s hard to believe it 68 years old. He still moves pretty much the same as he always did. Dances around that microphone stand like no one else. I was so anxious to hear this album come out. I’ve heard a lot of cuts on it all. Been fantastic. Have not picked up the album yet but going to as soon as possible. His video with Post Malone is just fantastic. A. Must-see. Proves you can still come up with good country music, that can sell. Glad to see Dwight is still around, and still keeping it country.
November 18, 2024 @ 10:13 am
Just saw him last Thursday in Clearwater, FL. Great show! Like fine wine he gets better with time.
November 18, 2024 @ 10:25 am
Welcome back and stay awhile,Dwight !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 18, 2024 @ 10:25 am
It’s always “Brighter Days” when Dwight’s in the studio or touring !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 18, 2024 @ 10:58 am
Wow! Love it Dwight! My husband & I saw him perform in Sparks, NV 2 years ago. Great as he’s ever been & this’ll keep us all enjoying his special singing talent!
November 18, 2024 @ 12:23 pm
I had the great pleasure of going to 2 of his shows this year. He still rocks out with the best of them and I’m so glad he’s still touring! Love the new music and I’ll never get tired of his voice. How about a gospel album next? Bring back some wonderful old timey tunes with those heavenly vocals…
November 18, 2024 @ 12:39 pm
I’m gonna have to disagree on the point about Dwight “outmatching” Post Malone on the vocals.
Yes: Dwight’s voice is as silky smooth as ever but I think he and Posty compliment each other on this tune
November 18, 2024 @ 1:23 pm
I agree with Trig on this. Dwight’s instrument isn’t what it used to be, and that’s totally understandable.He’s 68, just three years younger than Ronnie Dunn, whose once-commanding voice is frayed far too often on his latest album of “Reboots.” It happens to the best of them. That said, Malone’s vocals seldom are anything greater than functional, and Luke Combs leaves him in the dust on their “Man for That” collab.
Brighter Days is growing on me, but the performances just aren’t up to Dwight’s ’80s and ’90s peak.
November 18, 2024 @ 1:54 pm
I honestly don’t think Dwight’s voice has weathered at all. I think that when he goes for it on this album, he sounds great. My issue is that he doesn’t really go for it. The writing and the approach doesn’t really lend to bringing out the best in him, and so you don’t really get a lot of those great Dwight moans and yodels.
Also, it’s no offense to Post Malone. Everyone is going to sound outmatched next to Dwight, especially on a song that leans on his vocal strengths like “I Don’t Know How To Say Goodbye.”
November 19, 2024 @ 5:20 am
I guess I should have phrased my comment differently.
Dwight can definitely sing rings around Post Malone all day long.
But for the sake of this particular song, I kinda like how their voices work together.
I think if this duet featured another great crooner (Raul Malo for instance) it would have a different feel-but I don’t necessarily think it would be better.
November 24, 2024 @ 7:22 am
Malone should have never accepted this collaboration. His voice side by side with Yoakam’s – it’s not a good look for him.
November 19, 2024 @ 2:02 am
i hear quite a lot cowpunk especially in the guitars..much like 3 pears.
Anyway Dwight is in my very little book of untouchables.
November 19, 2024 @ 7:41 am
Digging this album. Not every song is a winner, but overall it’s a very good late career addition to Dwight’s discography. Where many artists fade away with pale comparisons to their prime output, Dwight Yoakam shows again that he is, and always has been, in a league of his own.
November 19, 2024 @ 11:25 am
good album
November 19, 2024 @ 6:15 pm
I caught a Dwight show in Knoxville last winter, and he looked, sang, and moved around the stage remarkably well.
I was unaware that he had lived hard.
I thought he was a non-drinker based on something i read.
November 20, 2024 @ 6:38 am
…it’s a good album and “i’ll pay the price” is a real yokam-gem, living up to his best album cuts. overall, one cannot tell, whether he refers to brigher days now, ahead or past really. the music points in all directions. also, the cover with the door frame and the lamp in the background: brightness now, ahead or behind? not to mention that classic dwight-pose – now, then or forever? love it, but i’m totally biased.
November 20, 2024 @ 4:05 pm
I really like the new album. In fact I noticed right off the bat his voice was different. I wasn’t much for his past twangy sound.Good job Dwight.
November 21, 2024 @ 1:25 pm
Honestly 1 song that I will add to my Dwight play list
November 21, 2024 @ 7:36 pm
Glad to have him back, though I’ll skip teh Post Malone duet…what anybody sees in that guy as a country or hip hop artist is beyond me.
November 22, 2024 @ 6:45 am
It’s still Dwight and he doesn’t disappoint. I personally can’t stop listening to California Sky. It reminds me of times gone by but fringed with hope. Maybe that’s the theme of the album, Brighter Days.
November 22, 2024 @ 6:39 pm
I have been a devoted fan of Dwight Yoakam for 30+years.I am going to be honest because that is what he would want.His voice is frayed and I think he puts too much of the yodel in which I think is to cover that voice frailty.But the duet with Post is great good fun,I love Post Malones voice.He is not outmatched by Dwight.BUT!!! MEMO TO POST,YOU ARE WAAAY OUTMATCHED BY DWIGHT IN THE MOVES DEPARTMENT 🤣🤣🤣
December 1, 2024 @ 2:11 pm
Picked up the CD yesterday and I’ve really been digging’ it. There are pictures of him and his son all over the gatefold and booklet. He seems (and sounds) content, and God bless ‘em for it.
January 19, 2025 @ 6:28 am
i have been listening to dwight since 1986 when i went into a record store and bought guitars, Cadillacs, etc. and steve earle’s guitar town at the same time. i have followed dwight’s career ever since. he is a true artist. he has his influences, but has his own voice/vision. this is a great album. i think he sounds great. his voice is a national treasure. i like all of the songs on this cd, but A Dream That Never Ends is my favorite. chris isaak should slow it down and recorded it as a roy orbison-esque tune. dwight changes, evolves, but he always stays true to himself. 1986 was a great year for what i call alternative country with the likes of dwight, steve earle, the o’kanes, lyle lovett, kd lang, foster and lloyd debuting and rosanne cash, jason and the scorchers and lone justice all making great music around this time.
January 31, 2025 @ 12:56 am
I have been a huge fan of Dwight’s since the day he set foot onto the stage. I have been listening and promoting his music from his beginning and he’s made it easy to jump on his bandwagon of musical coolness and excellence. As a singer and songwriter, Dwight has been second to none in the entire music industry. It isn’t hard to understand why even Johnny Cash himself once called Dwight Yoakam the Greatest Country & Western Singer ever. That is quite a compliment from one Legend to another in this very competitive and crowded business. If you have been a fan of Dwight’s… or even if you take the time to just go back and listen to the variety of his many releases over the decades… you know that Dwight Yoakam’s music has been constantly evolving and never duplicating itself from one album to the next. That is the mark of true excellence in the most talented musicians when they never get stuck in desperately attempting to recapture what made them successful, but instead are fearless in forging ahead into unknown musical adventures… not losing their faithful core fans, but instead gaining thousands of newer and younger fans each time they record a new album and set out to tour with their new songs! This is what Dwight has done once again with his newest album, Brighter Days! He has forged ahead, tapping into his inner “Byrds” after interviewing his newfound friend, Roger McGuinn, on his weekly radio show called Greater Bakersfield on his SiriusXM Radio channel. Their days of jamming together become apparent on Dwight’s new gem, California Sky! What a beautiful song that takes you back to the 60’s & 70’s on a California beach! I could go on and on with every song on this album! Usually, I have always needed to let an album “grow on me” to fully appreciate it. Sometimes it would take weeks, months… in some cases it takes years before we can fully appreciate how beautifully written and performed an album was recorded. With this Dwight Yoakam album, Brighter Days, it only took me two spins on the vinyl before I realized this is not only a great album… but, as someone that owns over 17,000 vinyl records, has worked in the music industry almost my entire life and loves almost all genres of music… I have quickly discovered that Brighter Days just may be my NEW favorite album of ALL TIME! Yes… it IS that well written, arranged and performed! So… I suggest if you haven’t heard it yet, BUY IT ON VINYL and listen to it… NOW! And if you have listened to it… listen to it again… and again… and again with the volume up LOUD! Then… let me know if you don’t agree that it isn’t one of your Top 10 Country & Western albums of all-time!?! Even if you are younger, you should appreciate this album. The first record I could somewhat compare this to during all of my years in listening to music, is when Tom Petty transformed his traditional sound with The Heartbreakers and broke out and recorded his first Solo LP… Full Moon Fever! That was a much different sound for Tom Petty, but it was an amazing record and it attracted a whole new group of fans for him. I feel that Brighter Days is the same type of record for Dwight Yoakam! Keep the great music coming, Dwight… your fans still love hearing what you have to sing, my friend!!