As the traditional structure of hit single "Shuttin' Down Detroit" indicates, John Rich's first solo album for Warner Brothers Records is far from the sound of his work with Big Kenny in Big & Rich.  In fact, "Son of a Preacher Man" almost sounds like a stone-traditional Country record compared to the guns-a-blazin' Country rock favored by the duo.  The record kicks-off with Rich's first single (Co-written with John Anderson), a song with a lot of timeliness and something we reviewed (click here) when it was released as a single in late January. 

"The Good Lord And The Man" is a flag-waving anthem that praises "The Greatest Generation" and except for the clumsy lines about "speaking German living under the Flag of Japan," the song works quite well.  "Preacher Man" is the title track and finds Rich singing about being raised in the Church from his father and how his chosen career path probably didn't sit all that well with him.

There are only a couple of songs on this record that ever hint at the past Big & Rich partyin' anthems.  The first one is "Everybody Wants To Be Me" and with a title like that you may think he's ultra conceited about himself and you would be partially right but he's also singing that it took him a lot of hard work to get where he's at. In other words it's a warning that he earned his 'swagger,' something hip-hop artists often brag about. The other song that recalls the B&R days is "Turn A Country Boy On."  From the melody to John's vocal and lyrics, it really feels like one of his duo songs.  The only problem with it is it doesn't feel as bombastic and fun as it would be as a duo song.

"Why Does Somebody Always Have To Die" has three separate verses that tie together and tell a story and while the third verse is a bit predictable, it still is an emotional song that could do well on CCM radio stations.  "Another You" and "I Thought You'd Never Ask" are two ballads that are on different sides of the emotional and relationship spectrum while the album ends in the most unexpected of ways with "Drive Myself To Drink." Written with Vicky McGehee (who co-wrote most of the album's songs) and James Otto, "Drink" is a complete, big band, jazzy number that sounds like the hits of yesteryear. 

With songs about struggling blue-collar workers, hard-working truckers, the greatest generation, country boys, himself, his father and love John Rich has hit all the basic themes of Country music with an album that is better than many people are going to give him credit for.  It is also an unabashedly country album that, for the most part, has a less-is-more feel to the production, an approach that suits his vocals just right.

The album is available at amazon.com-with acoustic bonus tracks- (click here) and iTunes (click below):