Vocally, Lowrey has a strong, lush tenor voice that recalls Darrell Scott with a little of Kristofferson’s edge. “The Problem With Freedom” finds Levi coming to terms with the fear of commitment and what it has made his life stating, “The problem with freedom after all, is no one’s there to catch you when you fall.” “Act Like We Were Lovers” is one of the strongest songs to talk about the mundane parts of a marriage that lacks romance. It finds Levi singing about finding a way to make the romance come back again. It’s a laid-back and beautiful ballad that would be a huge hit on radio if given a chance (or if someone like Jerrod Niemann were smart, they’d cover the tune. Union Station member Jerry Douglas provides stellar Dobro and Steel Guitar on the track as well.
“Whenever We Break Down” is a song that will surely hit home to anyone who’s struggling to make ends meet and in the end it says that love is the only thing a man needs to get through the day:
“I don’t need a roof above my head when I sleep, well I’d sleep in the dirt if you hold my hand, whenever we break down we’ll make our stand and love will be the law of the land.”
“Whiskey and Wine” details a story of a man who ‘blames’ Whiskey for falling for a girl who blames ‘wine’ for making it happen. “Freight Hopper” is another fantastic song on the record and I can hear this one becoming a wistful, lonesome Bluegrass song somewhere down the line, the theme practically begs for it. As it is here, it’s one of the best songs on a stellar album. “All American” finds Levi singing a classic recitation style song with banjos from Darrell Scott, mandolin from Sarah Jarosz and Levi’s own fiddle. It helps the song feel like a classic country song with more than a hint of some bluegrass in the tune and what’s great about it, it’s a ‘patriotic’ song that talks about hypocrisy and other things in some of those “USA Only” types who then drink German beer, clothes from outside of the world, watches from Switzerland and a hat made in China.
“Space Between” is a beautiful and sad lyric about a guy who’s not dissimilar from the man of “The Problem With Freedom.” “Hold On Tight” ends the album with a strong lyric of a man who eases the worry of the woman he loves by saying “Hold on tight, it’s gonna be alright” and by the end of the song she eases his worries and fears about being broke with another one on the way by saying the same thing. It’s but the 12th great track on a simply stunning singer/songwriter album. Here’s a writer who is making great music that deserves to be heard and for anyone looking for something outside of the mainstream that is still very much country music, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of I Confess I Was A Fool and then find where Levi Lowrey’s playing next as he’s most certainly an engaging live performer.
Buy: Amazon | iTunes | CD @ Levi's Website
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