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Dierks Bentley
Modern Day Drifter
(Capitol)
First Appeared in The Music Box, June 2005, Volume 12, #6
Written by T.J. Simon
Originally from Phoenix, Arizona but transplanted into the Nashville-based
music scene, Dierks Bentley’s latest release Modern Day Drifter is a
blast of Top-40-ish country built for the American masses. As far as that goes,
Bentley does a decent job of lending a hint of traditional authenticity to his
slickly-produced, Music Row output. The album’s opener Lot of Leavin’ Left to
Do is catchy, and it features guitar work and lyrics that are reminiscent of
Waylon Jennings. Similarly, Domestic, Light, and Cold is a winning ode to
beer drinking in the honky-tonk tradition of Hank Thompson or Asleep at the
Wheel, while on Good Man Like Me, the Del McCoury Band makes a guest
appearance and infuses the tune with a touch of genuine bluegrass.
Unfortunately, the remainder of Modern Day Drifter falls into the
category of non-descript country. In other words, it’s the sort of thing that
attempts to appeal to the format’s lowest common denominator. Cab of My Truck,
for example, is an up-tempo number that is destined someday to be a Ford
commercial. Both Settle for a Slowdown and Come a Little Closer
are bland ballads churned from the same, endless Nashville-ian assembly line.
Although Bentley’s strong, deep-registered voice always sounds perfect, there’s
just not a lot separating his world from the typically generic sounds of Country
Music Television’s weekly countdown show. Sadly, Bentley is probably the best
thing happening in mainstream country music today, but this only proves that
fans of the genre just aren’t looking hard enough for good music. 
Modern Day Drifter is available
from Amazon.com. To order, Click Here!
For Canadian orders, please
Click Here!
For UK orders, please
Click Here!
Ratings
1 Star: Pitiful
2 Stars: Listenable
3 Stars: Respectable
4 Stars: Excellent
5 Stars: Can't Live Without It!!
Copyright © 2005
The Music Box
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