Cannonball
With its breakout single, "Feels Like It Should"--a high-octane driving anthem in which he sings of putting "the Boss" on the radio and singing along to "Born to Run"--Pat Green leaves no doubt about this album's primary influence. The opening title track offers hard-riffing guitars over hard-driving drums in another Springsteenesque anthem of love's redemption. The rest of the album is strong and consistent enough that it could well catapult Green to the sort of nationwide popularity with both country and rock fans that he enjoys in his native Texas, where what started as a grass-roots following among the college crowd has turned him into an act capable of filling stadiums. Whereas his material once extolled the joys of living in Texas and drinking beer, he now displays a lot more range and maturity, with the heartfelt balladry of "Dixie Lullaby" eulogizing his father and a duet with Sara Evans on "Finder's Keeper" reinforcing his country credentials. Producer Don Gehman worked with John Mellencamp on many of his biggest hits, with the combination of Stonesy guitar and country fiddle on "Won't Let Love" evoking that artist's musical progression. What Springsteen is to New Jersey and Mellencamp is to Indiana, Green could become to Texas.--Don McLeese