Walking Among The Living (Epic)r e v i e w
If Jon Randall is known at all by the mainstream country audience, it's most likely as one of the writers for "Whiskey Lullaby," which was a powerhouse duet for Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss. But
Randall proves here that he's a strong voice to be reckoned with, too.
This disc opens with one called "Baby Please Come Home," which - like much of this CD's material - concerns post-break-up emotions. Sample lines include: "I'm tired of smokin' cigarettes/I'm
tired of my own whiskey breath" and "I'm tired of crying without warning." In other words, Randall is expressing that he's sick and tired of being sick and tired. "Lonely For Awhile" speaks about the alone time every newly single person needs in order to sort things out, whereas "Walking Among The Living" celebrates coming through it all -- yet still in one piece. Randall also explores two sides of the Southern experience here, too. While "North Carolina Moon" praises country living, "No Southern Comfort" tells how the comforts of home sweet (Southern) home don't always come to the rescue.
Randall's voice sounds a little bit like Vince Gill's, which gives much of this recording a winning high and lonesome quality. Although his version of "Whiskey Lullaby" cannot compete with the Paisley/Krauss hit version, the rest of this CD is a strong vote of confidence for a man that should not be ignored. He's walking among the living once again, and also living well, indeed.
by Dan MacIntosh
