Dwight Yoakam Brighter Days 2024

In 1993, Dwight Yoakam made one of the best records ever, This Time. And not just country records, but best records ever, period. Every song, every note, every lyric, just about pure perfection. I followed his work for a while after that one, and I liked Gone 1995, and A Long Way Hone 1997. I even liked his covers record, Under The Covers 1997.

The ones before 1993 were all solid, and many critics and fans rave about the first three, and well, I liked those too. In this century he has made plenty of competent records, all with some great songs, but none quite reaching the perfection of his work in the mid-nineties. But they come mighty close, and he's made more solid records than most artists in any genre. His Bakersfield-inspired country/rock and his authentic vocal twang have stood the test of time, and his songwriting is impressive and mostly consistent.

Now, after an eight year hiatus comes Brighter Days, and if I may say so, it lives up to the name. The record storms out of the gate with Wide Open Heart. The lead single I'll Pay The Price is a Bakersfield beauty filled with melancholic hope. Other highlights include the sad California Sky, stomping Can't Be Wrong, hokey I Spell Love, the optimistic title track, a cover of the Byrd's Time Between (he has a knack for finding great songs to cover), a rocking version of Keep On The Sunny Side, and the "save the last dance for me" sentiment of Every Night, which rocks the record to a close. There aren't really any weak songs. With fourteen tracks, you'd almost expect some filler, but instead the songs just display all the various aspects of his talent. 

He never really went away, but he's back.