Artist: Uncle Kracker
Title: Happy Hour
Genre: Country Rock
Release Date: 13th August 2010 (Germany)
Label: Warner
Album Review
One could remember the days when UNCLE KRACKER performed a style of rap rock akin to KID ROCK and RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE. However, over the years the artists has evolved to a less aggressive style, but pumped up the flavour. With his latest album, KRACKER delivers a mix of hip country rock and alternative with just as much energy as his past work, and a new direction. Strangely, this sounds just like KID ROCK’s path, but KRACKER has quite a bit more to offer with his tasteful selection of tracks.
‘Smile’ has been the first hit off the album and offers a good starting ballad that is very catchy and romantic. The tone is very easygoing and one can’t help but sing along when the chorus kicks in. The piano is a great addition to the guitar and drum lines. On the other hand, ‘Another Love Song’ is more of a pop rock tune. When one listens to this one, they can’t help but think of KELLY CLARKSON due to the music style, but KRACKER does a good job at keeping things a bit more aggressive compared to CLARKSON’s music, especially with the guitar solo. ‘My Girlfriend’ sounds like another big radio hit for the pop rock side of things, but the topic has already be done before by KATY PERRY who uses a similar music style and lyrics. KRACKER performs the track in a THIRD EYE BLIND style in the sense he’s vicious about the idea, but in a nice way. Probably most likely to be the second single off the album! ‘Live The Dream’ is a WHITESNAKE cover, but KRACKER puts a modern spin on it by adding electronic harmonization with his vocals.
Things fall back into country style with ‘Country Bar’ and feature a vocal style that is reminiscent of any sort of rapping that KRACKER has done in the past. The backing female vocals are a great addition along with the saxophone. ‘Me Again’ is the first ‘slow song’ that steals a take or two from LADY ANTEBELLUM due to the trade-off vocals between KRACKER and country singer JESSE LEE. The lyric topics about missing people and trying to hide it but then they let it out in a song is not anything new, so this track may seem a bit overdone as well compared to so many recent artists performing in the same style. ‘Good to Be Me’ feels like original country by UNCLE KRACKER, perhaps the first in a few songs so far. He puts his usual charisma in the lyrics and the guitars have plenty of rock licks mixed with the country chords. The bass is right there next to everything and can be heard all the way through. ‘I Hate California’ is the last alternative rock track on the album, and even through the lyrics may seem a bit silly, it is one of the more innovative tracks that KRACKER has come up with as far as lyrical topics go since his first album. If it can’t be loved for themes, love it for the vibe of the guitars.
‘Hot Mess’ and ‘Hey Hey Hey’ are both pop tracks mixed with country. ‘Hot Mess’ keeps the aggression that KRACKER is known for, but ‘Hey Hey Hey’ has some pretty cool mellotron involved and borrows the catchy chorus lines from bands like COLLECTIVE SOUL’s style which will probably make this a concert crowd favourite. ‘I’m Not Leaving’ is another soulful ballad with KRACKER alone on vocals, and then the closing ‘Mainstreet’ is a smooth, rock / country mix that doesn’t overdo it instrumentally and offers and excellent balance of KRACKER’s latest music style. While some may think this album is way too happy and takes too many cuts from a lot of the recent pop artists, KRACKER promises that the following album will be the Ying to this Yang. It should be much darker and twisted to balance out the darkness and light boundaries with his music. Fans who probably aren’t satisfied with this one will find that comfort with the upcoming album. For now, ‘Happy Hour’ lives up to its name. Hopefully KRACKER will live up to his promise in rounding out his agenda in delivering some dark and heavy stuff to mix in with his angrier days.
Tracklist
01. Smile - 3:21
02. Another Love Song - 3:31
03. My Girlfriend - 3:00
04. Livin' the Dream - 3:44
05. Corner Bar - 4:17
06. Me Again (featuring Jesse Lee) - 3:35
07. Good to Be Me - 4:12
08. I Hate California - 3:37
09. Hot Mess - 2:51
10. Hey Hey Hey - 3:28
11. I'm Not Leaving - 4:29
12. Mainstreet - 3:27
Line-up
Uncle Kracker- all instruments
Website
http://www.unclekracker.com/
Cover Picture
Rating
Music: 7
Sound: 6
Total: 6.5 / 10
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