Texas singer-songwriter Jack Ingram has always worn his influences on his sleeve, which is underscored by the company he keeps. His last two records were produced by Steve Earle and Richard Bennett, respectively, and he has co-written with Earle, Bruce and Charlie Robison, Jim Lauderdale, and Todd Snider — i.e., musicians trawling the same confluence of heartland rock, honky tonk shit-kickers and earnest, open-heart ballads.
For his second Lucky Dog album (and sixth overall), Ingram is teamed with producer Frank Liddell, who hooked up Lee Ann Womack with many of the above writers for her double-platinum I Hope You Dance. Liddell’s penchant for using many (albeit sterling) musicians takes Ingram further from the roadhouse band sound than he’s ever been. On the populist, singalong rockers (“Keep On Keepin’ On” and “We’re All In This Together”) in particular, the meticulously layered guitars put more weight on the tunes than their skinny frames can bear.
But Ingram sure can sing, and he can swing the hell out of mid-tempo sweethearts such as “Fool” and “One Thing.” And, for the most part, his songwriting, with or without the usual suspects, continues to develop — even if he has yet to clearly separate himself from his talented fellow travelers.
