RICHARD LYNCH
A Better Place
Daddy’s Radio – New Beginnings and Old
Honkytonks – It’s All In My Head – She’s Got Me Drinking Again – Texas
Front Porch Swing – Look Out Below – You’re The Reason God Made Oklahoma
– All By My Lonesome – Hold Your Horses – You Show Me Yours – I Like My
Music Country – A Better Place
I was just about to the point where I’d never see or hear
some decent country music from today’s deliverers. Then along comes an
Ohio country music maker, Richard Lynch, who quite frankly is brilliant
with this album. The very first song proudly displays a little bit of
music from Hank, Ernest, and more, as he introduces “Daddy’s Radio.”
This is a super representation of good modern country music. The steel
is still there, and used most effectively, and again in “It’s All In My
Head.” This guy is real country, and so much more than the Keith Urban
and others who insist that rock and roll should be the predominant sound
of modern country. It doesn’t have to be at all, it just takes the
music into a so-called new genre that isn’t country at all, far from
it. Richard Lynch is able to keep his music in the vein of today’s
country music, but he keeps it country. This music business is
sometimes like panning for gold, hoping you might find a little kernel
to keep it ‘real.’ So far what Nashville has been producing for the
last many years is devoid of gold. But here, if they would just take a
listen, they would find what the real ‘evolvement’ of the music should
be sounding like, and not the hip-hop-rock-slop sound they have
contaminated the genre with. This album is truly named correctly, “A
Better Place.” Certainly for traditional and classic, and even
Highwayman style of country. Richard holds true throughout, and by the
time we get to “You’re the Reason God Made Oklahoma” with some help from
David Frizzell & Stacy Houston, we’re right back on track with some
super sounding country music. I think the drums were too far out front
in the mix, UNLESS you are doing this as a ‘dance’ album, mostly
because there’s so many good musical sounds coming from the other
instruments, and the too-loud drums distract from that, as well as the
beautiful voices and lyrics we are listening to. Richard Lynch is simply
brilliant, in “All By My Lonesome” he brings the everlasting ‘fiddle’
back to his music, and our listening pleasure. The Nashville musicians,
who can really play anything you want, must surely have enjoyed this
terrific ‘country’ session. I wish I could have had this album a little
earlier to send to the Rural Roots Music Commission for this year’s
selections for CD of the Year. Thank you Richard Lynch for a super nice
listen.
RECORD REVIEW BY BOB EVERHART – www.ntcma.net