Although the album was released towards the back end of last year already it has notched up celebrity status for newcomer Justin Cole Moore.
For the sake of his recording career the middle name ‘Cole’ has been dropped and for many in the country circuit Justin Moore has arrived ‘just in’ time to add a new vibrancy to the Billboard Hot Country Songs Charts.
His self titled album has already produced chart entries,’Small Town USA’ giving him his very first number one, and as of last week his latest chart entry from the same album ‘Backwoods’ was standing at the number fourteen position.
Not bad for a young man who only emerged on the recording scene a couple of year ago.
His self titled album which is now available in Britain describes his music as ‘the basic unbendable truths of a place where your word is your bond, elders are respected and bullies are put in their place.
In this real world, men are the same on a Sunday morning as they are on a Saturday night, a notion that’s ideal whether you live on a dirt road or a city block’.
Having taken a listen it is noticable that some of his influences relate to Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings with the occasional Jennings bass guitar/drum beat driving a couple of the songs.
Of the ten songs featured he is responsible for writing nine.
Although his music takes on a feel of traditional country with a leaning to Southern Rock he stamps his own individual style throughout the album which to my mind is a great modern contemporary release.
The album also contains two great cuts ‘I Could Kick Your Ass’ and ‘Back That Thing Up’ which were originally released on an independent label in 2008.
I wouldn’t be surprised if by the time you read this his current ‘Backwoods’ track has moved into the Top Ten on its way to giving him another top slot.
He’s an artist we’re going to hear a lot more of.
Justin Moore Justin Moore Wrasse/Humphead Records
STAR RATING 8/10
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