A biased album review: "Good Guys" by Bucky Covington (2012)

I won't even pretend to be objective here (please note title of blog...ahem), but as a longtime fan of Bucky Covington and his music, I'll say that knowing the back story behind Good Guys--Bucky's struggles with his former label's closure, his realization that the album needed to be truer to his real musical self, his decision to become totally hands-on with both the business and the artistic sides of his career, and his clear pride in the finished product--makes the fact that this is a truly high-quality modern country album even sweeter.   I am really, really pleased with the long-awaited sophomore album by Bucky Covington, and I think you will be, too.  Grab a cup of coffee, sit back, and let's enjoy Good Guys together, track-by-track.


"I Wanna Be That Feeling"


Let's start off with a quote from the review posted here when this song first went to radio: " I Wanna Be That Feeling" spotlights that same distinctive, gritty, soulful Southern voice that inspired this blog back in '06 when Bucky was an unknown, unsigned semifinalist...The song's theme and lyrics take full advantage of Bucky's unusual, appealing youthful-yet-experienced gravelly tone in much the same way that his first big hit, "A Different World" (and the should-have-been hit "A Father's Love") did so well.

As a lead off to an album, "I Wanna Be That Feeling" sounds even better--it's a welcoming, inviting uptempo charmer of a love song that draws you in and gets your toes tapping.  (As a matter of fact, I wonder if radio might like to give this one a second chance somewhere down the line...)


Bucky Covington on stage in Hillsboro; photo by the very kind Judy Lang.

"I'm Alright"

The first thing that'll hit you as this song unfolds is the shimmeringly beautiful guitar intro--and then Bucky's quietly mournful delivery of this rainy-night breakup ballad proceeds to break your heart.  "I'm Alright" is a stealthy killer of a song; your heart (if it isn't made of stone) will ache for the poor narrator who insists he's "alright" with the situation, when it's clear that he's anything but all right. (Listen to the way the "I don't really wanna kiss you..." line is sung, and check for a lump in your throat.)  Bucky mentioned in his recent Yahoo Music interview that "I'm Alright" is one of his favorites on the album--he sounds proud of it, and that pride is absolutely warranted.


"Hold a Woman"

When the first live fan videos of this song began to hit YouTube,  the bluesy, liquid feel of it made me feel so oddly nostalgic that I had to try to sort out what musical trigger it had pulled in my mind.  The closest I could come (and this is a huge compliment) is that it hits the same blues/country/classic sweet spot that songs like Tony Joe White's brilliant "Rainy Night in Georgia" touch.  There's a certain mix of sensual soul, sweet country and Southern flavor that'll tickle your senses every time, and between Bucky's sexy, throaty vocals,  an appealingly retro arrangement (love the organ!) and those sly lyrics, this one's shaping up to be the country slow-dance sensation of the year. (Grab your own slow dance partner and see for yourself...)


"Drinking Side of Country"

I've said it before and I'll say it again--all of us just knew Bucky had a totally kickin' (being polite here) Southern party anthem in him, and this one exceeds even our highest expectations.  Bucky wrote this one with his lifelong collaborators Rocky Covington and Ducky Medlock, Bucky produced this one himself, and Bucky and guest vocalist/all-around awesome guy Shooter Jennings teamed up to create the kind of rowdy musical party you're glad you were invited to, even if you know your head's gonna hurt in the morning.  That "we roll" refrain is a delightful earworm you'll be singling along with before the second verse is over,  and the video for Bucky's current single is a hot viral hit at the moment.  (If you'd like to hear "Drinking Side of Country" on the radio, it's at your local country station right now--roll on down to the request lines and ask for Bucky by name!)


"Only Got So Much Time"

The theme is familiar--life is pretty short, so go for the gusto--but this food-for-thought song steers well clear of sticky-sweetness with down-to-earth, real-life relatable lyrics, a funky, almost John Cougar Mellencamp-esque groove, and an easygoing and sincere vocal by Bucky.  It's so understated, in fact, that you'll want to listen again and again (and maybe sing along) and really take those lyrics to heart.  A gem.

Photo credit:  Kristin Barlowe/Monarch Publicity.

"Mama Must Be Prayin'"

This genuinely funny, breathlessly delivered look at what happens when the narrator's Mama's prayers are answered (his planned good times go bad, so to speak) is a favorite at Bucky's live shows, and it's easy to hear why.  You're not gonna be able to keep up with the verses, but that "whoo hoo" at the chorus is just made for joining in.


"Sail On"

If anyone out there has any doubts about how much deeper and richer Bucky's interpretive vocal skills have become, play this track first.  Lionel Richie's "Sail On" is one of the most emotionally complex songs to ever hit the charts--a mix of slow-burning anger, sorrow, resignation and chilly dismissiveness, all set to an achingly pretty melody--and Bucky absolutely, utterly nails it.  He pulled this stellar, dead-on performance from somewhere deep inside himself, and it shows. Add a beautiful arrangement with graceful acoustic guitar by the legendary Mac McAnally, and you've got magic.  When Bucky hits that key, climactic "Sail On, honey/Good times never felt so good" line, don't be surprised to find a pleasurable chill running down your spine. Wow.


"I Always Said You'd Be Back"

We're back into fast paced, party territory here--the narrator and his girl broke up, but he "always said you'd be back".  Trouble is, she's only back to get her stuff!  Cute and clever, with a fun guitar solo and a club and radio-friendly danceable beat.


"Mexicoma"

Another concert favorite--and recorded, it sounds very, very different from the live version many of us are familiar with, thanks to a slightly slower tempo and the addition of a strong dash of Mariachi-style instrumental flavor.   "Mexicoma" has that beachy, breezy feeling that warms your heart and puts a smile on your face, especially at this time of year.  Cue this one up, and hold on to that summer vacation sensation just a little while longer...

"I Want My Life Back"

This song was Bucky's fourth Lyric Street single, and many of Bucky's fans will recall that it got a fair amount of airplay back then.  A heartfelt ballad about loss, loneliness, and cherishing what you've got, this one was best described in Country Weekly's recent review: "...songs about the struggling economy and unemployment in the U.S. have sadly become a mainstay in country music these days, but rarely is the topic broached with such authenticity as in 'I Want My Life Back.' Be prepared to feel a catch in your heart when you hear it."  Bucky's thoughtful vocals here are just as good as you remember, too.


"Gotta Be Somebody"

Like the previous track, this song was also released as a single to country radio, and it spent some time on the charts--but not nearly as much time as its charm and sweetness warranted.  You won't be surprised to hear that I liked this one better than the Nickelback original; the bouncy banjo underpinnings and Bucky's hopeful, energetic singing give this version something special.


"A Father's Love (The Only Way He Knew How)"

Good Guys ends with this gentle, good-natured Father's Day favorite about the kind of man a lot of listeners can recognize right off the bat--the stoic, quiet, yet deeply loving kind of father who expresses his feelings with work and deeds, not flowery words.  (Or, to paraphrase a favorite witty lady, "How can you tell if a manly-man really loves you?  He fixes your broken stuff.")  Listen to the gratitude in Bucky's voice, and you'll be reminded of a man you know--grandfather, father, uncle, husband, brother, son or friend--who fits the bill.  This single got criminally lost in the label-closing shuffle just as it was taking off; it's good to have it here on Bucky's new album.

(If you'd like, you can stream the songs for a limited time at AOL Music; better yet, take the plunge and buy Good Guys at your local music outlet, or online at Amazon, iTunes,  Bucky's official site, or the HelpTheGoodGuys.com store right now. A portion of the proceeds from the first week of Good Guys album sales goes to Help the Good Guys, an organization assisting injured firefighters and their families. News post next!--W)

A biased song review: Bucky Covington and Shooter Jennings, "Drinking Side of Country" (at iTunes now!)

Bucky Covington and Shooter Jennings sound great in this crystal clear audio-only clip of "Drinking Side of Country"--thanks to pcolson90 for posting it at YouTube.  (For the full-on, wild-ride "Dukes of Hazzard"-inspired music video featuring Kellie Pickler, Mickie James,  Kenny Bartram and lots of Daisy Duke wearing beauties, head on over to YouTube and/or Maxim.com.) Bucky's September 2012 album, Good Guys, is available for pre-order at Amazon, and the single is available at iTunes now.

Well, it's safe to say we're not on Lyric Street any more!

Bucky Covington's three big hits with his former label, the Disney-owned Lyric Street Records, were a trio made up of a beautifully nostalgic mid-tempo toe-tapper ("A Different World"), a fast-paced, exhilarating love song ("It's Good to Be Us"), and a sensitive, heart-tugging ballad ("I'll Walk"). We truly loved them all--still do!--but Bucky's longtime fans knew he'd also handle a thumpin' Southern country party anthem brilliantly.  Many of us hoped that "Bible and the Belt", a strong and gritty cut from his debut album Bucky Covington, would be his fourth Lyric Street single.  During the long delay between albums, new songs, presumably from what would have been Bucky's sophomore Lyric Street CD, were added to his live set, and the gratifyingly rowdy "Evel Knievel"  became a sing-along concert favorite, but as far as we know it was never released to radio on its own. 

Folks, we finally--finally--got our Bucky Covington Southern country party anthem single right here, and it's more than we could have asked for (and to be a little politically incorrect, it's much more than I suspect Lyric Street would have let us enjoy.)  "Drinking Side of Country" was written by Bucky with his longtime co-writers Rocky Covington and Ducky Medlock, it was produced by Bucky, and it features the distinctive vocals of the awesome (not gonna lie)  Shooter Jennings, who certainly knows a thing or two about the joys of calling one's own artistic shots.

Lyrically, "Drinking Side of Country" does indeed cover some familiar party song territory (no-strings-attached affection and plenty-of-strings-attached trouble are easy to find when one is a traveling musician--yep) but it does so with humor, sly charm and the unmistakable ring of authenticity.  You don't doubt that these guys have lived--and laughed at--much of what they're singing about,  and that alone allows it to transcend the "laundry list" accusations that some might lob.  And musically...well, let's talk about that hook.  (You're singing it in your head right now, aren't you? "We roll, we roll, we roll...on down the highway..." Catchy?  You bet. )

Needless to say, I'm enjoying this a lot.  If you've been here since the beginning of Buckymania, when one of Bucky's self-penned songs, "Can't Be Wrong", made us all aware that there was a lot more to him than Idol-sanctioned covers, you're doubly happy about his fall single being one of his own co-written compositions.  "Drinking Side of Country" may also be the most polarizing single Bucky's released to date, and even that's a good thing, if you think about it--sometimes trying to please everyone makes an artist ultimately displeased with himself.  Bucky is who he is--the straightforward, talented guy who can bring a tear to your eye with "I'll Walk" and bring a knowing smile to your face with "Drinking Side of Country"--and that's one of the many reasons we dig him so much.

We can't wrap this up without saying a word or two about the already semi-controversial video directed by Blake Judd, which is nothing like any music video Bucky's done before.  Bucky, unlike many of the male singers who we came to know via a certain TV show, has the advantage of a strong fan base from both sexes, and this particular video is definitely one for the guys.  There are those who'll miss the prominent shot of paintballs in the back seat of the car, and those who'll miss the point that the whole thing is an affectionate spoof of the "Dukes of Hazzard" aesthetic rather than a literal Design for Living.  But nobody, and I mean nobody, is going to fail to notice the overabundance of gorgeous babes, or the sexy cameos by Kellie Pickler and Mickie James.  It's caused quite a buzz already, and it's been linked from the front page of Yahoo--a big advantage for a brand new single.

Bottom line: "Drinking Side of Country" is a smart and worthy follow-up to the lovely, romantic "I Wanna Be That Feeling", and it shows off a funny, rowdy, endearing side of Bucky's musical personality.  He's a versatile performer, and the two very different, very cool songs already released from his upcoming Good Guys album underscore that point beautifully.  We're looking forward to a fantastic fall!--W

Pre-order Bucky's upcoming eOne album, Good Guys, at Amazon now.  "Drinking Side of Country" is now available at iTunes.

Breaking news: Music Row announces Bucky Covington/Shooter Jennings eOne single coming in August...

Shooter Jennings and Bucky Covington in a studio shot shared by the kind eOne rep at left a little while back (via Twitter, with thanks)

Breaking news via Music Row today--it looks like eOne is making sure we've got plenty of good stuff to listen to this summer and right on into fall!  Music Row's Single Releases Calendar is listing "Bucky Covington with Shooter Jennings/Drinking Side of Country/eOne" as an August 13th release, and earlier today, Bucky shared this exciting tidbit on Twitter: "Had a great time shooting my new music vid yesterday in KY- more details soon!"  (Those of you who've been reading Buckymania for a long time know that we've been huge fans of Bucky's songwriting skills since his hauntingly good "Can't Be Wrong" first caught our ears way back in the day, so this is a doubly exciting development...)

We've still got a hot early summer single to support, too--Bucky's beautiful current release, "I Wanna Be That Feeling", is looking good at GAC's Top 20 Country Countdown and CMT Pure's Pure 12 Pack, where the video is climbing both charts.  There can never be too much of Bucky's music on the radio or the TV, y'all!  Click those big colorful buttons up at top right to give him a boost right now, and stand by to support "Drinking Side of Country" as fall gets underway.  Bucky's next live event happens on Thursday, when he and his band will rock the  Kix 106 Smokin'  Summer Showcase with special guests The Lost Trailers at Snowden Grove in Southaven, MS.  More later--enjoy the day!

Edited to add links to photos and info on Bucky and Shooter's upcoming video at Columbia Magazine, Nashville Gab and MJ's Big Blog.  See you soon!--W

Quick news: Bucky Covington at the Old Port Festival (video) and a few odds and ends...

Thanks to WPOR and Groff Video for sharing this seven-minute-plus video from this past weekend's Bucky Covington performance at the Old Port Festival in Portland, Maine. Bucky and Ducky Medlock harmonized on "A Different World" and "Back When We Were Gods" in this clip--enjoy! Bucky's full concert schedule is available at his official website.

Just a couple of quick notes to share this evening:

Bucky Covington shared this photo from yesterday's IAFF gathering in Memphis via Twitter today, along with some excellent news:  "Just announced - $2k raised for the IAFF Charitable Foundation with @HelpTheGoodGuys."  Bucky's Help The Good Guys Presents Bucky Covington fundraiser CD is available now (and packed with some killer new songs), and he'll be making more appearances this year as the charity's official spokesperson.

He and his band are on the road all summer long--the next stop is Saturday's free show at the Springs Spree in Colorado Springs.  After that, you'll definitely want to be there when they return to Wild Bills Atlanta on Friday, June 22nd. This'll be their third time performing at the venue, and a sold-out and very enthusiastic crowd is pretty much a given--don't miss out on this party!

A kind elf reminded us about Bucky's cameo in the excellent new Shooter Jennings video for "The Real Me", which was featured at The Boot yesterday evening.  (We dig Bucky and Shooter big time around here, so it's squarely in the "must-see" file...)

As always, you're invited to join us in applauding for "I Wanna Be That Feeling" at GAC's Top 20 Country Countdown,  CMT Pure's Pure 12 Pack and on your local country station's request line today and every day. We'll see you soon!