Clint Black
Album: On Purpose
Label: Thirty Tiges
Tracks: 14
Website: http://www.clintblack.com

The Texas raised black hat artist Clint Black is back with a very welcome return. On Purpose is a brand new album of fourteen tracks released on a new label Thirty Tigers. It's the first full length album in ten years since 2005's Drinkin' Songs and Other Logic and his tenth in total.

Clint first came to prominence in 1989 with the massively successful debut album of Killin' Time accumulating many Number Ones and big selling radio friendly songs on the country charts, winning numerous awards and even starring in some TV shows and films. It was around the same time that the new waves of country artists were appearing such as Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson. As a result of the success and popularity of his first few albums and his catapult into stardom Clint was inducted into the Grand Ole Opry and had a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has almost always written or co-written (usually with long-time bandleader and friend Hayden Nicholas) his songs by sticking to the traditional sounds of his heroes such as Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson & Buck Owens.

As soon as the first track 'Time For That' starts and Clint's unmistakable smooth vocals are heard you know that this will be another fabulous collection and that you are in for a treat. On this opener he is reflecting on the busy times of the past and considering that it's long overdue that he makes more time for the finer things in life by not overdoing anything. The fast paced non-stop lifestyle can't continue and he has plans to "take a look, enjoy the view catch a game, take a snooze, anything I choose".

The familiar guitar and harmonica sounds that we have grown accustomed to on a Clint Black album continues on the catchy 'Better and Worse' where there's a suggestion "not everything's gonna go my way" as with all things in life there are good and bad things, ups and down and trials and tribulations. The album's title also comes from a line in this song's heartfelt lyrics. A first slighly slower paced 'Summertime Song' is up next and it's hear that you can tell that Clint's vocals are as clear and as great as they ever have been.

Clint Black is an artist who's natural country traditional vocal style of music I grew up with during the nineties. It has always contained the correct amount of lilt and twang and that's what makes his music so pure and fine. This is before mentioning his effortless and natural talents as a multi-instrumentalist and his eye for a great song.

'One Way To Live' is a very inspiring song about giving everything your best shot and to pursue what you believe in. "You've only got one chance" and it's about going out and grabbing life with both hands.

There are many truly relatable topics on offer here and as always Clint shows us how much of his careful thoughts goes into the song writing process as in the upbeat 'Doing It Now For Love' when he sings "matters of the heart are something you can never buy" and that money is not everything in life.

There have been a few duet songs that Clint has provided over his career to date and a few of those has been with his long-time wife and actress Lisa Hartman Black. 'You Still Get To Me' is the duet for this album and as always both their vocals fit perfectly, tightly and neatly together over a nice gentle guitar and drum beat.

Another slow waltzy song with 'Right On Time' and then a wry and humorous observation of the way certain news stories are reported for 'Still Calling It News'. There's an electric rockier edge to 'Making You Smile' where there's a feeling that the happiness is possibly the result of there being "someone else behind that look in your eyes" and it isn't down to the person closest to her. Is this the end of a relationship and a start of another? Clint sings this one in the most believable and emotional way as if he is about to become the injured party in this sorrowful story.

There's a lovely couple of ballads with 'Stay Gone' and 'Breathing Air' the latter being a personal, sweet and delicate tribute to Clint's daughter where he sings "I will be there for you".

One of the all-time top country subjects and something I and many others certainly enjoy is the title of the next song that being 'Beer'. Clint sings about the "International language of beer" as wherever you go around the World and in whatever form it takes "it's all you ever here" and "it comes in loud and clear". It's a fun sing-along song the type you could easily hear on one of the latest male country artists' albums. It fits in perfectly with a fresh and up-to-date sound.

Of course we don't want too much of the current similar country sounds and we are back on track with some more traditional sounding territory with 'The Trouble'. Here there is reference to a lady that you need to be aware of as "I ain't never seen the likes of you" debating whether he should get any closer but one suspects the temptation could be too much to resist.

The final track is another emotive ballad called "The Last Day'. This is probably the most powerful song on the album. Clint sings it with so much emotion and passion and it is another request to live your life as if it is your last moments "I don't care what any doctors say they may be wrong or right". Despite the song being so touching it ends on a positive reflective and inspirational note.

It has been a long wait for a new album but absolutely worth it. I have been engrossed in these fourteen delightful songs that contain all of the Clint Black qualities that have resulted in his huge and thoroughly deserved success for the last twenty plus years. There is something for everyone here from slow paced to upbeat, relatable, believable and heartfelt lyrics, the ever smooth vocals and proper traditional country sounds. I'm going to don my black hat, pour myself a beer and sit back for many more listens to this, another mighty fine Clint Black album.

Craig Parry