Corb Lund has earned his place among the Canadian greats. Having been born and raised in the small town of Taber, AB, Lund successfully leveraged his authentic experience living on a ranch into heartfelt, earnest songs about rural life, quickly becoming a ray of light in a genre that has struggled with an identity crisis for most of the 21st century. Rather than the vague laundry-list of "country" qualifiers — driving pickup trucks, drinking beer, etc. — Lund's lyrics are poignant, witty and heartfelt. When he writes about pickup trucks, it's an amusing snapshot of rural living. He's more Stuart McLean than Luke Bryan.
Songs My Friends Wrote is a unique Corb Lund release in that it is essentially a covers album, with the singer-songwriter and his band — the always-excellent Hurtin' Albertans — offering their spin on relatively obscure songs written by Lund's friends. It's a personal project, and one that is clearly motivated by a deep appreciation of these other artists. The 10-track collection features songs written by Canadians Ian Tyson, Fred Eaglesmith, Geoff Berner and Mike Plume, as well as American artists Hayes Carll, Tom Russell, John Evans and Tom Snider.
Songs My Friends Wrote is a decent country release, but falls short of the other entries in Corb Lund's discography. There are moments that really shine: "Big American Headliner" and "Pasa-Get-Down-Dena" are both very fun and also a bit of departure for the band, flirting with pop-punk and rockabilly, respectively. "Montana Waltz," a Tyson cover, is beautifully arranged and would be great to see live. "Little Rock" is a standard blues, done very well. "Highway 87" is the closest the album comes to having a strong radio single, and while it's pretty unlikely to top any charts, it's another great blues arrangement.
Yet, when listening to Songs My Friends Wrote, one can't help but wonder if an album of collaborations or duets would have been a stronger strategy. As a singer, Lund's voice doesn't possess the same rich depth and evocative timbre as someone like Tyson or Eaglesmith. The Hurtin' Albertans — Kurt Ciesla on bass, Grant Siemens on guitar/lap steel, and Brady Valgardson on drums — make up the difference (for the most part), nailing the sound and really showing off the group's versatility. Still, there are tracks on the album that don't quite work. "Spookin' the Horses" is fine if you've never heard Eaglesmith's original — but for those who have, Lund's vocals seem lacking. He just can't belt out a ballad like some of his contemporaries.
The problem with Songs My Friends Wrote is that its very premise undercuts the album: Lund's biggest strength has always been his writing, not his singing. He has a gift for rapid, dry delivery of clever observations and memorable lines. It's what makes a song like "Truck Got Stuck" or "Horse Soldier, Horse Soldier" so addictive — you can listen to the song a hundred times and still discover something new to like about it. There's a lot to like about Songs My Friends Wrote, especially the way it celebrates lesser-known tunes — but unfortunately, not a lot of the charm and wit that Corb Lund fans have come to love.
(New West)Songs My Friends Wrote is a unique Corb Lund release in that it is essentially a covers album, with the singer-songwriter and his band — the always-excellent Hurtin' Albertans — offering their spin on relatively obscure songs written by Lund's friends. It's a personal project, and one that is clearly motivated by a deep appreciation of these other artists. The 10-track collection features songs written by Canadians Ian Tyson, Fred Eaglesmith, Geoff Berner and Mike Plume, as well as American artists Hayes Carll, Tom Russell, John Evans and Tom Snider.
Songs My Friends Wrote is a decent country release, but falls short of the other entries in Corb Lund's discography. There are moments that really shine: "Big American Headliner" and "Pasa-Get-Down-Dena" are both very fun and also a bit of departure for the band, flirting with pop-punk and rockabilly, respectively. "Montana Waltz," a Tyson cover, is beautifully arranged and would be great to see live. "Little Rock" is a standard blues, done very well. "Highway 87" is the closest the album comes to having a strong radio single, and while it's pretty unlikely to top any charts, it's another great blues arrangement.
Yet, when listening to Songs My Friends Wrote, one can't help but wonder if an album of collaborations or duets would have been a stronger strategy. As a singer, Lund's voice doesn't possess the same rich depth and evocative timbre as someone like Tyson or Eaglesmith. The Hurtin' Albertans — Kurt Ciesla on bass, Grant Siemens on guitar/lap steel, and Brady Valgardson on drums — make up the difference (for the most part), nailing the sound and really showing off the group's versatility. Still, there are tracks on the album that don't quite work. "Spookin' the Horses" is fine if you've never heard Eaglesmith's original — but for those who have, Lund's vocals seem lacking. He just can't belt out a ballad like some of his contemporaries.
The problem with Songs My Friends Wrote is that its very premise undercuts the album: Lund's biggest strength has always been his writing, not his singing. He has a gift for rapid, dry delivery of clever observations and memorable lines. It's what makes a song like "Truck Got Stuck" or "Horse Soldier, Horse Soldier" so addictive — you can listen to the song a hundred times and still discover something new to like about it. There's a lot to like about Songs My Friends Wrote, especially the way it celebrates lesser-known tunes — but unfortunately, not a lot of the charm and wit that Corb Lund fans have come to love.