A Crowd-Pleasing, Story-Telling Delight
author: Sarah Fuhrman
DeWayne Spaw’s latest album, Starting Today, is a crowd-pleasing, story-telling delight. Spaw’s confident vocals weave tales of fishing poles, second chances, and pure fun, over a rich instrumental tapestry, complete with smoking guitar riffs. Fans hoping for good time tracks certainly won’t be disappointed by this “super-charged, honky-tonk man” in “The Crowd Goes Wild.” Spaw starts off this album with rollicking fun in the mud (“Kind of Trouble I Like”), and calls out the “Outlaw In Us All,” before offering up his take on the iconic “Rock And Roll All Night.”
But Spaw truly shines in a handful of positive ballads. The title track, “Starting Today” is an upbeat look at getting a second chance at life and love, while “I’m Still Hangin’” is a welcome – and lyrically unique – encouragement to hang on, “like gristle on a bone,” despite life not going quite as planned. The deep admiration Spaw has for his grandfather and for his fans pairs with Mike Lane’s vibrant lyrics in “What I’m Fishing For” and “I’m Your Biggest Fan” for two eminently enjoyable tracks. Spaw’s final track – “The Rock” – has a smooth country gospel sound, raising “stained glass and stone” hope from the Old South. Melodic and memorable, this album will have you singing along. Looks like this ole country boy has done us proud again!
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