21.10 20100
GARY ALLAN EVOLVES AS AN ARTIST, DEALS WITH TRAGEDY
By MARIO TARRADELL - Dallas Morning News
In 1996, country singer Gary Allan was a somewhat brooding, left-of-center hat act with a debut hit single, "Her Man." Three years later, Allan donned a silk suit and a few tattoos to match the smoldering, nocturnal allure of his third album, Smoke Rings in the Dark.
Fast-forward to 2010 and country's quiet maverick is a transformed artist. The hat gathers dust in his closet. The tattoos cover his arms.
The music, especially 2005's Tough All Over, 2007's Living Hard and the new Get Off on the Pain, combines heaps of rugged rock with honky-tonk country.
By Michael Gallucci - Cleveland Scene
Nashville has a reputation for turning out crap. And rightfully so: Toby Keith’s good-ol’-boy flag-wavers and Rascal Flatts’ power ballads are enough to drive anyone to drinking. Plus, Music City recently gave Jessica Simpson and Hootie & the Blowfish’s Darius Rucker new careers (and No. 1 albums).
But not all country music sucks. And we’re not talking about hipster-approved dead guys like Johnny Cash or alt-country shit-kickers, who don’t count because country-music fans never heard of the Old 97’s. In honor of Gary Allan’s concert this week, here are five country artists worth hootin’ and hollerin’ over.
By Bob Doerschuk
The ascension of Gary Allan, back from a difficult period of emotional retrenchment and introspection, is welcome and familiar news throughout the Country Music world. But to the crowds gathered at Nashville’s Sommet Center on the night of Nov. 30, 2007, it was an event to witness literally.
