by Chuck Dauphin
Mike McClure has built quite a reputation the past few years as one of the quickest rising singer-songwriters west of the Mississippi. Hailing from Oklahoma, he personifies all what the “Red Dirt” movement is about. His music is not for the faint of heart!
That comes into play immediately on the opener, the attitude filled title track. There’s a natural rawness that comes across with McClure when he lets his opinions flow, and he does several times in this well-written song about some of the events of the day.
Vocally, he’s very impressive on “Black Diamond,” which is one of the highlights of the disc. The track also benefits from some nice guitar work. He takes a very weathered approach to “Horseshoe,” also a highlight, and goes for a groovin’ feel on the interestingly titled “Almost Here / Almost Gone.”
The final half of the album is a little more restrained than the first, with “Old Crow” and “Other Side Of Midnight” both being high water marks on the album.
All in all, McClure has put together an album that showcases his many strengths, and leaves no doubt why he is so highly regarded by many in both Oklahoma and Texas. And, if you think about it, getting both states to agree on anything takes something very special, and McClure is just that!
For more information, log on to www.MikeMcClureBand.com
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