Ty Herndon - Jacob
Pivotal Records
****1/2
A bold, exuberant outing, one that spins his classic country-pop leanings in a fresh way, Ty Herndon’s first album of all new material since 2016, fuses emotional heft with brisk musicality. JACOB is born from a life lived, with each of the eleven tracks covering relatable topics such as grief, loss, stress, mental illness, suicide and positive change. Though not renowned as a songwriter, the Texan co-wrote all bar three of the songs. The inspiration is more intimate and personal as he opens up about his own battles with past addiction to crystal meth, rehab, sexual trauma, depression, self-loathing and his battle with mental illness. This may well prove to be his most auspicious effort yet as he traffics not in wide-eyed, but eyes wide open reality. There’s always been something about the country veteran’s music that leaves one breathless. On this album, he is aware of it and very much uses it to his advantage. Whether evoking the heartache of Roy Orbison, the passion of Raul Malo, or the self-aware confidence of Garth Brooks, Ty Herndon seems to be enjoying himself immensely, as if delighted by the primal pleasure of putting out new music that means so much to him.
A set of comforting, uplifting anthems that act as a companion through the most difficult of emotions, Til You Get There, the lead-off track, sets the tone by piercing the veil of overcoming life’s struggles with a positivity that is so joyous you cannot help but sing along from the off. Exploring a more textured instrumental terrain, with big, decadent arrangements behind that signature rip-your-heart-out voice, his striking lyrical stories are rooted in classic country styles with a 1990s edge and a modern-day twist, making it a fantastic, standout collection that sets a sky-high benchmark. God Or The Gun, a powerful song about suicide, opens with gentle percussion and guitar infused with mournful fiddle and steel. Coming to his senses gave him the emotional capacity to imagine the world in brighter colours as he goes from depletion to euphoria. This subject is heavy, and some of the other songs are just as deep. Unflinchingly personal, Fighting With Me is filled with the sort of dark secrets one normally spills to friends behind closed doors. There’s a slight edge of unease and a hint of latent peril conveyed through the naked piano notes, ethereal steel guitar, Emily West’s haunting harmonies and Ty’s passionate vocal on this slow ballad. And some desperation.
Dent On A Chevy, a new song co-written by Leslie Satcher, Will Robinson and Starner Jones, is sung as a duet with Terri Clark. A throwback of sorts to the light-hearted team-ups so popular in the 1960s and 1970s, think Conway & Loretta, or George & Tammy. Ty and Terri give it their all, and the result is a delightful country arrangement in the traditional style. There is a sense of passionate romance in the way he sings Say It For You, and his vocal exuberance is matched by the spunky, soaring vocal interplay with the vastly underrated Wendy Moten. Standing In the Whiskey is a prime example of the way his voice was seemingly built to jump out of a car speaker cranking up country radio. His sonic reinvention here—marked by stammering guitars and swirling country-rock—feels both effortless and inevitable. Most importantly, it all seems to come from a bottomless well of joy. On Hallelujah, he sings from the vantage point of someone who has come to terms with their flaws through faith or fortitude or both—to reconcile their past and find happiness in what lies in the future. Boosted by a stirring gospel arrangement, not only does he play for salvation, he hits the right notes for earning it.
With a thrilling, fresh urgency that makes it feel like he’s the first country singer to discover (or, in his case, rediscover) country-inflected rock guitar lines, synth-keyboards and powerful pop choruses, while retaining his own exciting identity, this album offers every reason to believe Ty Herndon will continue to succeed with his hard-won triumphs over his inner demons.
*The album title comes from the Old Testament figure Jacob, who overcame tough challenges and many mistakes.
July 2022