Review – Turnpike Troubadours “Diamonds & Gasoline”
There’s a few reasons a review for this album is being posted a good 2 years after the release. Without going into too much detail, I always like to reward artists when they take initiative with their music, and conversely, when I take initiative to cover music and it goes unanswered, it’s probably going to go to the back of the line. But good music should always find a path to people, and despite the hardships put between me and my ability to answer the numerous requests from readers to give my take on this young, Oklahoma-based country band, The Turnpike Troubadours is good music.
Diamonds & Gasoline has a lot of the common earmarks of a Red Dirt album, and a lot of a good freshman album, even though officially it is their 2nd release. You can usually count on a Red Dirt album being a solid offering, but you can also count on it being safe. And bands that are built for the long haul don’t always blow you away with their first few projects; bands that blow their wad do. Instead, you see quality and appeal, but moreover, you see promise and a good foundation.
The Troubadours reel you in with two excellent songs right off the bat. “Every Girl” is the massive, breakthrough radio hit that never was. There’s nothing fey or heady about it, it simply speaks right down to your human core, and the fact that it’s not being blared from every country radio station in America is an indictment of the country radio system itself. Hardcore, real country fans are hard on positive love songs, but this one has a way of re-creating the sensations of a young love that feels so promising and self-engrossing that you can’t imagine anything better or it ever ending. We’ve all been there at some point, and this song brings you back.
Then comes “7 & 7” that without even one note being struck you can finger as a formulaic drinking song, but unfolds to reveal a very wise self-reflective and self-aware testament to a truth that so many young men must face when they become what they despise when matters of the heart are involved. The song is built out from the line, “I had no clue I’d be the boy who your momma warned you about,” and shows tremendous depth of songwriting through among other things, the ability to perceive oneself through the eyes of others, and to be honest with one’s lot.
Later on the sweet, acoustic title track “Diamonds & Gasoline” illustrates that The Troubadours cannot only evoke Red Dirt & Waylon when they want, but Woodie Guthrie as well. There’s a lot of youth behind their lyrics, but there’s also a lot of pain and honesty. There is not a bad song on this album, and believe it or not, putting out an album without a bad song is harder than putting out one with 10 good ones.
There is a pretty good plateauing off after the first two songs and the title track however. “Down On Washington”, “Whole Damn Town” are solid, but throughout this album, including in the standout songs, I continued to feel the safety that seems to permeate much of the country music coming out of the Texoma corridor.
That is what I liked about Cody Canada & The Departed‘s album This Is Indian Land. It had guts and took chances, and that’s the reason a lot of Ragweed and Red Dirt fans didn’t like it. And I don’t mean to typecast the Turnpike Troubadours simply as Red Dirt. One of the things that is great about this band is that they’re young, and there’s so many different things they could become, or directions they could go.
If asked my opinion of where they should go, I would tell them to train their eye on a more distinct direction and hold to it. It could be to be more hard country, really work to evoke Waylon with even more steel and thumping bass drum/half time stuff, or they could go in Ray Wylie Hubbard’s “grit & groove” direction. Or even better, they could go in direction all to their own, but I just want a little more from them, and I want a little more because I feel they have a little more. I want them to lead. They have the licks, they just need to do something to distinguish themselves from the herd. Safety might bring you short-term success, but it won’t bring you glory.
I really like this album, and especially the three songs mentioned above. But moreover, I really like their potential, and am excited to see what the Turnpike Troubadours have to offer in the future.
1 3/4 of 2 guns up.
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January 24, 2012 @ 11:12 am
I love the Turnpike Troubadours. Like you said above, they may have played it a little safe but there is no denying that there’s something different about them. Can’t wait for the next album. I have a feeling whatever direction they take it, they’re gonna blow the roof off of it. I highly recommend this to anyone who is a fan of Red Dirt or just plain good ole country music.
January 24, 2012 @ 11:28 am
This is an album that I still listen to consistently, one of my recent favorites. These guys came and played at a tiny rural Minnesota bar north of the Twin Cities in the middle of last winter. I thought it was very cool of them to make that trip. It was an awesome show that made a fan out of me.
January 24, 2012 @ 11:48 am
1968 is one of my favorites. Hoping to catch a show the next time I’m down in TX.
January 24, 2012 @ 12:03 pm
I’m glad you finally reviewed them! They are in my top 3 for best of 2011 in my opinion. I really enjoy “Long Hot Summer Day”…it’s one of those really fun songs that I play loud in my truck and picks me up. 7&7, Diamonds and Gasoline, and Every Girl are solid songs as well. I’ve previewed their newest CD Bossier City but haven’t bought it yet. It just didn’t speak to me as much as Diamonds and Gasoline did.
Now we just need you to review Jackson Taylor and Whiskey Myers 🙂
January 24, 2012 @ 12:37 pm
I could be wrong but I think Bossier City was their first CD. I do agree it didn’t grab me like Diamonds and Gasoline did.
January 24, 2012 @ 2:26 pm
I believe you’re right, Bossier City was their first.
January 24, 2012 @ 1:03 pm
Whiskey is more of a southern rock band. They are fucking amazing though.
My top “Red Dirt” groups are:
1. Jason Boland. Simply the best. Waylon would be hella proud of them.
2. Whiskey
3. Stoney
January 25, 2012 @ 5:19 pm
Whiskey’s Ballad Of A Southern Man is among my favorite tunes
January 24, 2012 @ 2:25 pm
Jackson Taylor is another guy whose peeps I’ve probably emailed half a dozen times now with no response. I never got a response from The Troubadours either, but this album was on MySpace in full, so I’ve been able to listen to it. I find it hard to keep emailing bands asking them for CD’s, when I got others sending me their stuff a month before it is out.
January 24, 2012 @ 5:49 pm
You’re right about that Bossier City album. I guess it’s dated 2011 on Amazon because that’s just the date it was debuted on Amazon.com
Yes Whiskey Myers is more southern rock and is badass!
I’m surprised they never responded back to you Trig. I asked for their last album and they sent me a stack of them to handout to people. Anyways just facebook messaged them to send you something.
January 24, 2012 @ 12:32 pm
I have had shows for them up here in Minnesota. Great band, and a real good group of dudes. They crashed at my house that night, and couldn’t have been more respectful, and fun. We had a great show that night, and am working on bringing them up to Weber’s Deck for a show. Good review. Good album.
January 24, 2012 @ 2:28 pm
One of the things I like about their music, though it has nothing to do with their music at all, is that they seem like a good group of guys, playing music for the right reasons, and folks it would be fun to hang out with. And if they’ve made the trip to Weber’s Deck, there’s a good bet all of that is true.
January 26, 2012 @ 7:46 am
Hey Triggerman, while listening to some samples on Amazon I couldn’t help but notice the production quality and style is like main stream stuff released out of Nashville. I think this is a common trait of Red Dirt music and am wondering if you think that might actually work against bands like this? If I were surfing radio for example I might be prone to changing the dial and keep looking for mistakenly thinking these guys might be a mainstream hat act. I ask this only because so much alt-country production values are intentionally lo-fi if you will. Thoughts?
January 24, 2012 @ 12:42 pm
You should do a Red Dirt introduction article for those of us not as familiar with the genre. I usually like what I hear, but I wouldn’t know the big names of the genre from the smaller ones.
January 24, 2012 @ 1:06 pm
Please, check out the following. You certainly won’t be dissapointed.
Jason Boland. Trig did a write up on him and his band. They are simply the best of the best.
Whiskey Myers. Check out some song before you buy. They mix a lot of southern rock with their music.
Stoney Larue. He’s one of the leader of the red dirt movement.
Chris Knight. Just a dude with a guitar. Great story teller.
And of course… Cross Canadian Ragweed.
January 24, 2012 @ 1:08 pm
Also. Check out the Randy Rogers Band. Their fiddler is one of, if not, the best in the business.
January 24, 2012 @ 1:13 pm
I’d have to add Robert Earl Keen, Roger Creager, and Reckless Kelly to that list. But definitely start w/ Boland. One of my favorites.
January 24, 2012 @ 1:20 pm
so much music to check out. thanks.
January 24, 2012 @ 8:30 pm
Looks like you got plenty of good suggestions to keep you busy for awhile,but you may wanna throw in some Roger Creager,The Great Divide,Mike McClure,Bruce and Charlie Robison and Cody Canada and The Departed.As someone else said,I’d start with Jason Boland and Robert Earl Keen first.Both of their latest,”Rancho Alto” (Boland) and “Ready For Confetti”(REK) were my favorites of the year.
And great review Trig!
January 25, 2012 @ 12:08 pm
Between “Red Dirt” and “Underground” no one should ever have to listen to anything out of Nashville again!
January 24, 2012 @ 1:16 pm
Chris Knight does not get the recognition he deserves.
January 24, 2012 @ 1:19 pm
He really doesn’t and it sucks. He’s one of the best.
January 24, 2012 @ 8:29 pm
For sure. Chris Knight is an outstanding songwriter. I love his voice as well. Honestly I don’t care too much for alot of the Red Dirt type stuff but Chris Knight is amazing.
January 24, 2012 @ 1:23 pm
I think the only ones I know out of these are Cross Canadian Ragweed and Jason Boland. This is why we need a good Red Dirt article 🙂
January 25, 2012 @ 8:19 am
Agree with this, I’m pretty new to this sight, I wouldn’t know Red Dirt from Georgia clay. I do appreciate everybody listing some of their favorites. Already been turned on to Jason Boland, now I’ve got some other to check out.
January 24, 2012 @ 2:31 pm
Yeah, I probably should, but the thing is, I don’t want to come across like I am some expert on it, because there are many who know much more that I do, many bloggers who cover that world, and in many ways I am on the outside looking in. But I agree, it probably be good for my readership to be a little more informed on that world. I’ll see what I can do.
January 24, 2012 @ 3:33 pm
This subject might be a good one for a guest blogger. I don’t remember ever seeing you do this before but I figured I’d throw the suggestion out there.
January 30, 2012 @ 5:43 pm
If you decide you want to write a red dirt article look me up. I saw over 20 shows and 30 different artists last year alone and write my own Red Dirt blog. I would love to help and get the word out on some great red dirt music.
January 29, 2012 @ 11:26 pm
Go to KFWR.com & pull up their live feed. Crash course in Red Dirt–it’s all they play. The player *usually* has the correct song/artist info too.
January 24, 2012 @ 1:12 pm
great, spot-on review.
Caught 3 shows while at MusicFest in Steamboat, which allowed me to get cozy with some of the new stuff. They def won’t be a one and done band.. Looking forward to their growth.
January 24, 2012 @ 1:49 pm
never paid attention to the Troubadours till i saw them in Steamboat this year, now i cant stop listening to them…
January 24, 2012 @ 3:21 pm
Funny that this came up now, as I’ve had both their albums on non-stop rotation the last couple of weeks. Haven’t been able to get sick of them.
January 24, 2012 @ 3:37 pm
Wow, never heard of these guys until now. Great music.
January 24, 2012 @ 5:58 pm
For those looking for Red Dirt resources to checkout red dirt/texas country music here are a couple websites to checkout:
http://www.texasmusicchart.com
http://www.lonestarmusic.com
January 25, 2012 @ 12:47 pm
Spot on review. Amazing band, great album.
Check us out at galleywinter.com
We’ve been covering Red Dirt and Texas for over a decade and we attempt to write half as well as Triggerman.
We featured/previewed this album on our website about 2 years ago and I immediately connected with the first two tracks just as you did. I kind of cast the rest of it aside, but it grew on me slowly until I came to realize the whole collection was just about as good as it gets these days.
Here’s my review:
http://galleywinter.com/cd-reviews-turnpike-troubadours-diamonds-and-gasoline/
And an interview I did with the lead singer Evan Felker:
http://galleywinter.com/evan-felker-of-turnpike-troubadours/
January 26, 2012 @ 4:04 pm
Yeah I know of your website Galleywinter. I had totally forgot to list that one here. There is also http://www.radiofreetexas.org
January 25, 2012 @ 6:44 am
Im glad to see you review this, and not because I am a fan of them, as I havent heard this album until now. It is great to see you support albums that arent just new. Too much of the music industry is built upon the “what have you done lately” aspect, and overlooks gems an artist put out before they were well known. Some albums take a little time to grow on you, and its good to see someone go back to an album that is a few years old. Great music is great music, no matter if it was put out in 2012 or 1995.
January 25, 2012 @ 9:45 pm
This album’s awesome. You guys are right, Red Dirt can be pretty safe and formulaic, but really it’s far superior to pop country and should be more popular. Reckless Kelly, CCR, Cody Canada and the Departed, and these guys are awesome bands. Even Dierks Bentley gave a nod to Cross Canadien Ragweed in his song “Free and Easy.” Bands like these are kind of the middle ground between pop country shit and the real traditional stuff that is harder for many casual listeners to get into.
January 30, 2012 @ 12:59 pm
I disagree with calling Red Dirt safe and formulaic. I think the main thing in regards to Red Dirt artists is that they relate to the fans that support them. And most of us do not live in big houses and have 20 people work for us. The same cookie cuter songs that come out of Nashville from every “country” artist there get zero time on my playlist. Nashville country sounds nothing like it did 10 years ago, but Red Dirt has stayed the same. Not because it’s safe and formulaic, but because it doesnt need to. Red Dirt isn’t whats poular, Red Dirt is home, Iit’s familiar. In 10 years I know what it will sound like, the names may change, but most will be the same. You wont even recognize Nashville music 10 years from now.
January 30, 2012 @ 12:46 pm
Amazing album, every song is great, hard to pick a favorite! Seen them live a couple times, they’re really nice guys!
January 30, 2012 @ 12:49 pm
Very good read on these guys. It is awesome that you listened with an open mind. I love their mix of genres with everything from old school country to blue grass. These guys simply make good music that can not get pigeon holed into one sound. They put on a stage show that is top notch and always give everything they have. I have seen them 3 times and never seen the same show.
January 12, 2013 @ 12:22 am
I bought Goodbye Normal Street because of this site’s review.. amazing album. I really like this one too… the Funeral a powerul and moving song. I must also mention 1968. “There’s nothing that can take me back…Like a dark haired gril in a Cadillac”…aint that the truth!