Trent Tomlinson – Country Is My Rock

Artist: Trent Tomlinson

Title: Country Is My Rock

Label: Lyric Street

Rating: 6.5/10

FILE UNDER: Country Rock.

CORPORATE LINE: Singer/songwriter Trent Tomlinson is one of those rare performers whose music is as straight-ahead and unpretentious as he is. “My songs,” he says simply, “are real-life situations with kick-ass guitar.” “It’s ‘open a beer, sit in a lawn chair, let’s have a party’ country,” he says of his music. “At the same time, the songs are saying, ‘I have the ability to love you, to understand,’ and at the end of the day all that matters is Mama and Daddy and going to heaven. That pretty much sums everything up.”

THE GOOD:
“Country Is My Rock” – A good ol’ boy country rock song.
“Angels Like Her” – It’s the typical country ballad with the lonesome guy doing wrong and ruining his life. It’s like a broken record in country—and yet Tomlinson creates something anew out of the recycling bin.
“Drunker Than Me” – A fun party song that will get a lot of rotations in bars all over the Midwest.

THE AVERAGE:
“Cheatin’ On My Honky-Tonk” – Tomlinson sounds extremely familiar.
“Hey Batter Batter” – A punchy hook that isn’t easily forgotten—and yet it sounds too simple and ultimately comes off lame.
“Just Might Have Her Radio On” – Doesn’t have the same power as “Angels Like Her.” Ultimately Tomlinson sounds like everyone else.

THE BAD:
Nothing.

FRANKLY:
Country Is My Rock is an atypical country album. It covers all the bases; lost love, drinking, and making music. There a lot of fun party songs and the usual dose of ballads. All-in-all Tomlinson writes a few good songs and has a bright future in country.

+ Rae Gun