Dallas Wayne – Here I Am In Dallas
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Posted On November 1, 2001
Hard country gets another notch in its belt with the release of Here I Am In Dallas, the sophomore album from bold-voiced Missouri native Dallas Wayne. Sporting arrangements that are as straight as a two-by-four, these songs are full-bodied honky-tonk of the classic variety.
Fans of this kind of hard stuff will find the kickoff track, “Bouncin’ Beer Cans Off the Jukebox”, immediately likable, thanks to its burly rhythm, Wayne’s hefty baritone, and catchy lyrics about crying over Haggard songs after closing time (“I’m a poster boy for detox”, Wayne moans). The title track is another old-school beauty, with a lead-footed, Waylon-styled Outlaw beat propelling the tale of a guy searching for love in the wrong damn place. It was a Top 20 hit for Faron Young in 1975, but from here on out it belongs to Wayne.
In addition to the novelty-flavored “Beer Cans”, Wayne has penned a few nice ones himself, most notably “The Stuff Inside”, a slow-paced ballad that shows off his voice with wide swoops and graceful dips. Wayne sounds closer to neotraditionalist John Anderson than Hank or Hag on “I’m Gonna Break Some Promises Tonight”, a bouncy number that surrenders to the fiddle and leaves room for moving around. Back on the weepier side of the street is “Not A Dry Eye In The House”, on which the pedal steel shimmers and drips like autumn rain on a cracked windowpane.
Toward the end, Wayne tosses in a few more nuggets from the past, including “Shadows Of My Mind” (once covered by Vernon Oxford) and “Happy Hour”, a sad-eyed gem associated with the late Ted Hawkins. But no matter whether he’s working with his own writing or someone else’s, Wayne’s brand of honky-tonk is strong and durable, making Here I Am In Dallas easily one of the most enjoyable country albums of the year.
