Randy Houser – Note to Self

CD Review: Randy Houser Note to Self

  By Madison Monroe for Country Music News International Magazine

1. Still That Cowboy
2. Workin’ Man
3. Note to Self
4. Country Round Here Tonight
5. Take It To The Bank
6. Call Me
7. Out And Down
8. Rub A Little Dirt On It
9. American Dreamer
10. Remember How To Pray

Randy Houser recently put out a new record titled “Note to Self”.  “Note to Self” is his 6th record to date. Randy is getting back to his roots with this new record.  This is a record that puts the idea of wear and tears into perspective. The wear and tear can be heard on the track “Workin’ Man”. This track is about how much work a man puts in at a job. “Workin’ Man” touches on the economy and how there isn’t enough money to pay bills at the end of the day.  This being said, Note to self is rough to the touch. The vocals on the record allow the listener to feel and hear the pain in this record. There isn’t pain in his voice. There is a pain in the songs being sung. The tracks on this record smack you in the face. The reason the tracks smack you in the face is that it isn’t the watered-down music that plays on country radio. It is nothing but pure country music. This record also shows us that Randy is an amazing songwriter. He wrote the ten-track record with a few friends. Every country record needs a great love song. Randy wrote a song that touches on everyone’s fear in a relationship. The track is called “Still That Cowboy”. He sings about how perfect his wife is. He also wants to make sure that he is good enough for his wife. The line “I hope I’m still that cowboy that rode up in your dreams” is highlighting this point. Overall, this record proves that Randy is an amazing songwriter.