ALBUM REVIEW: Jim Lauderdale at the Top of His Country Music Game

Jim Lauderdale is at it again, writing songs that belong in the pantheon of country music alongside those of George Jones, Ray Price, and Conway Twitty. With his signature twangy vocals and his often wry wit, Lauderdale sings on Game Changer about broken hearts, wistful dreams, mending fences, and honky-tonkin’ the night away.

The slow shuffling ballad “Keep It Real,” co-written with Logan Ledger, floats over a shimmering bed of Russ Pahl’s pedal steel chords as Lauderdale croons earnestly to his lover, pleading for honesty in the relationship. The song’s perfect for a Saturday night dance hall or the jukebox at the local diner. The title track chugs along a rockabilly rhythm, fueled by Craig Smith’s Dick Dale lead solo playing off Steve Hinson’s pedal steel strains. The airy, steel-drenched “Wishbone” — featuring the classic line “I got a wishbone where my backbone ought to be” — waltzes with regret that the singer can’t stand up to trouble as he’d like to do.

The upbeat “We’re All We’ve Got,” co-written with Mary Gauthier and Jaimee Harris, sways with a country gospel feel, urging unity and healing amid division and discord. The country jazzer “Let’s Makes Some Memories” swings and dips with a smoky Saturday night dance lounge feel, while the country moaner “Our Happy Hour” aches with the loneliness of the impending end of a relationship (“Our happy hour is almost over”). The rollicking “I’ve Heard of That” scampers along Jerry Reed-like guitar notes.

Game Changer showcases Lauderdale’s canny songwriting and his musical ingenuity. He’s at home in any genre, but this album — his 35th — confirms his place in the universe of country music and as the king of broken hearts.

Jim Lauderdale’s Game Changer is out Aug. 26 on Sky Crunch Records.