
Rick Monroe – GYPSY SOUL
Rick Monroe is no newcomer to the music
scene. He has shared the stage with such
acts as Eric Church, Dierks Bentley, Aaron Lewis, Eli Young Band, Charlie
Daniels Band, Dwight Yoakam, Montgomery Gentry, Patty Loveless, Trick Pony,
Emerson Drive, Pat Green, Randy Houser, Josh Thompson and more. He has a tour schedule that would exhaust
most of his contemporaries, traveling 100,000+ miles in 2016. He’s performed in
every state in the USA except Oregon (huh? Get with it, Oregon!) and been on
stage in at least seventeen countries, even entertaining former Soviet
President Mikhail Gorbachev.
scene. He has shared the stage with such
acts as Eric Church, Dierks Bentley, Aaron Lewis, Eli Young Band, Charlie
Daniels Band, Dwight Yoakam, Montgomery Gentry, Patty Loveless, Trick Pony,
Emerson Drive, Pat Green, Randy Houser, Josh Thompson and more. He has a tour schedule that would exhaust
most of his contemporaries, traveling 100,000+ miles in 2016. He’s performed in
every state in the USA except Oregon (huh? Get with it, Oregon!) and been on
stage in at least seventeen countries, even entertaining former Soviet
President Mikhail Gorbachev.
So, you could justifiably describe Monroe
as something of a musical gypsy: have guitar, will travel. Now Monroe presents
us with a new 6-song EP appropriately titled GYPSY SOUL. The title track is a rousing anthem to the
nomadic life of a free spirit. “I hear that voice inside, I’m livin’ free,
child, til the day I die / I’ve got a gypsy soul…” The track is a powerful,
uptempo earworm that grabs hold and won’t let go.
as something of a musical gypsy: have guitar, will travel. Now Monroe presents
us with a new 6-song EP appropriately titled GYPSY SOUL. The title track is a rousing anthem to the
nomadic life of a free spirit. “I hear that voice inside, I’m livin’ free,
child, til the day I die / I’ve got a gypsy soul…” The track is a powerful,
uptempo earworm that grabs hold and won’t let go.
Each cut on this album (all written or
co-written by Monroe) hangs on that same kind of hook that pulls the listener
into the heart of the song. However,
each song has its own distinctive identity, demonstrating Monroe’s versatility
and skill as both a writer and a vocalist. The bluesy “Rage On” evokes
comparisons with Chris Stapleton, Bruce Springsteen and Stax gospel greats like
the Staple Singers.
co-written by Monroe) hangs on that same kind of hook that pulls the listener
into the heart of the song. However,
each song has its own distinctive identity, demonstrating Monroe’s versatility
and skill as both a writer and a vocalist. The bluesy “Rage On” evokes
comparisons with Chris Stapleton, Bruce Springsteen and Stax gospel greats like
the Staple Singers.
Monroe co-wrote “This Side of You,” the current
single from the project, with Jason Duke and Ryan Griffin (the pair who
recently co-wrote Kelsea Ballerini’s “Dibs”) and the song is now impacting
country radio. The uptempo slice of
happy fun will set fingers tapping steering wheels making rush hour traffic a
little more bearable with the radio volume cranked up a notch. By the way, the
female voice on the track is Kristen Rogers of A Thousand Horses.
single from the project, with Jason Duke and Ryan Griffin (the pair who
recently co-wrote Kelsea Ballerini’s “Dibs”) and the song is now impacting
country radio. The uptempo slice of
happy fun will set fingers tapping steering wheels making rush hour traffic a
little more bearable with the radio volume cranked up a notch. By the way, the
female voice on the track is Kristen Rogers of A Thousand Horses.
Be sure to give this EP a listen. Meanwhile, catch an ‘unplugged’ video version
of “This Side of You” posted on YouTube for the CDX Hallway of Fame.
of “This Side of You” posted on YouTube for the CDX Hallway of Fame.
Album review by Preshias Harris for Country Music News International