Once in a while an artist comes along who seems to nail whatever they try their hand at. Greg Graffin is one such man. The Bad Religion front man takes some time away from the punk stalwarts to express his inner country side once more.
Unlike the sombre tones of his last solo outing ‘Cold as the clay’ this album is an altogether more upbeat and engaging listen. Joined by the masterful Jonny ‘Two Bag’ Wickersham, Brent Harding and David Hidalgo Jr of ‘Social Distortion’, Graffin expertly navigates his way through 10 tracks of country rock. Not just simply putting words to the music created by these punk heroes but using them as a means to tell tales.
Opening track ‘Backroads of My Mind’ will have you singing along in no time, while ‘Lincoln’s Funeral Train’ tells the story of the train that carried the body of former President Abraham Lincoln following his assassination. Its deep hooks and Graffin’s rasping voice will leave you imagining you were stood right next to those tracks as it passes you by. Elsewhere, the album’s title track ‘Millport’ banjo instils genuine a sense of joy.
As an entity the album is a far cry from anything you’ve previously heard from these punk legends but what shines through is their love of the genre. Artists have often chosen to dabble in country music with it being such a huge influence, but where most fail to do it justice, Graffin and co. manage to craft an authentic, engaging album that will have you donning your cowboy hat and boots and line dancing across the room in no time.
CHRISTOPHER LEE