D.A.C., O.G.

     I can't help thinking that David Allan Coe has more in common with some hip-hop artists than he does with, say, Keith Urban.  It's that hard-core attitude with the bordering-on-ridiculous insistence on one's authenticity.  I mean, yeah, he spent some time in prison, etc., etc., but the more he makes his claim the less believable it seems.  But that don't mean the music ain't any good.  I love the way he opens "Longhaired Redneck" with the line "Country d.j.s knows that I'm an outlaw".  That's some bold grammatical territory--sounds like an outlaw to me!  The song is pretty damn funny... and "Revenge" is about as bleak as you can get.  "Laid Back and Wasted" is somewhere(s) in between.  (Great title, by the way).  It's a shame that he didn't refrain from utilizing the cornball harmonica and '70s phase-shifter guitar on these songs.  It'd be nice to be able to listen to them without cringing so much.  

     D.A.C. has definitely got the Merle Haggard/Ernest Tubb sound down pat, but does he really need to do so much name-checking?

     

Longhaired Redneck--David Allan Coe

Revenge--David Allan Coe

  (from the album Longhaired Redneck)

Laid Back and Wasted--David Allan Coe

  (from David Allan Coe Rides Again)